Patients seeking specialized medical services at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) are facing significantly higher treatment costs following a sharp increase in charges for key diagnostic procedures, with some fees rising by more than 200 percent.
The revised charges, which took effect without prior public notice, caught many patients by surprise, forcing some who had arrived for scheduled appointments to postpone treatment after discovering they could not afford the new rates.
Among the steepest increases, an endoscopy now costs KSh 20,000, up from KSh 6,500, while a colonoscopy has increased to KSh 25,000. Ultrasound scans now cost KSh 4,800, and consultation fees have risen to KSh 1,550. Procedures involving biopsies have also recorded substantial increases.
Medical staff attribute the adjustments to the rising cost of imported medical consumables, laboratory reagents, and the maintenance of specialized equipment, saying the hospital has been forced to review its pricing to sustain service delivery.
The increases have also highlighted existing gaps in the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme, with many specialized diagnostic procedures either excluded from coverage or only partially catered for under limited benefit packages. Consequently, many patients are being required to pay the full cost out of pocket.
Healthcare stakeholders warn that the higher charges could discourage patients from seeking timely diagnosis and treatment, particularly for gastrointestinal conditions and other illnesses that depend on specialized investigations. Delayed diagnosis, they caution, could result in more severe health complications and higher treatment costs in the long run.