Equipment failure cuts admissions at Mathari hospital by 82,000

A breakdown of equipment, including a CT scanner, locked an estimated 82,000 people from accessing inpatient services at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital (MNTRH) during the 2024/25 financial year, according to National Treasury disclosures. MNTRH, Kenya's only public mental health referral centre, recorded 228,700 admissions against a target of 310,418 – a shortfall of 26 percent. The absence of CT and radiology services delayed diagnostics, increasing the average inpatient length of stay to 50 days compared to the 46-day target. The hospital received Sh1.05 billion against a stated requirement of Sh3.6 billion, forcing trade-offs between equipment maintenance, wages, and drugs.