Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Health, Aden Duale, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to protecting patient dignity and strengthening quality and efficiency across Kenya’s healthcare system.
CS Duale affirmed that the commitment is mainly focusing on enforcing the Social Health Authority (SHA) bed-capacity access rule.
Speaking during the SafeCare Level 5 accreditation ceremony for AAR Hospital’s outpatient centre, a globally recognised benchmark of excellence in quality and patient safety, the CS emphasised that the government remains steadfast in restoring public trust and reinforcing safety as the country advances towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The accreditation marks the culmination of a several years journey of rigorous evaluation and continuous improvement against internationally set SafeCare standards.
Earlier, in April 2025, AAR Healthcare secured ISO 15189:2022 international laboratory accreditation, further underscoring its commitment to world-class clinical standards.
The CS noted that this achievement would strengthen patient safety, raise the quality of care, bolster stakeholder confidence, and enhance operational efficiency through streamlined and cost-effective service delivery—core pillars of the 5th Administration’s UHC agenda.
Further, Duale called for urgent action to contain rising maternal and newborn mortality rates, now a national priority, highlighting the importance of AAR’s progress towards the realization of this agenda.
“Better outcomes demand skilled personnel, reliable equipment and blood supplies, and strong infection control, all central to the SafeCare accreditation process,” he stated.
Seven of AAR’s twenty-one outpatient centres have now achieved the highest SafeCare certification level, demonstrating how private-sector excellence could reinforce national health priorities and support the objectives of the forthcoming Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Bill, 2025.
During a guided tour of the 150-bed capacity facility, with a 12-bed Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Dialysis departments, the CS commended the hospital’s substantial investment in modern equipment, clinical excellence and integrated digital systems designed to uphold patient safety and quality patient care.
He was hosted by the facility’s leadership led by the CEO, Dr Aysha Edwards, together with World Medical Association President Dr Jacqueline Kitulu.
By Michael Omondi
