By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, 10 July 2026 - Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has become the first national public institution to formally institutionalise an annual Professionalism and Integrity Day as part of efforts to strengthen ethical leadership and curb corruption in the health sector.
The hospital marked the 2026 celebrations on Friday in partnership with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), with officials calling for stronger integrity systems to improve healthcare delivery and restore public confidence in public institutions.
The event began with a courtesy call by EACC Director of Preventive Services Vincent Okon'go to KNH, where he was received by Senior Director of Clinical Services Dr. Joel Lessan before the two leaders flagged off a commemorative walk.
The celebrations culminated in the presentation of integrity awards to outstanding staff and recognition of employees who completed EACC integrity training.
Speaking during the event, Mr. Okon'go praised KNH for taking the lead in institutionalising the annual observance but challenged the hospital to ensure the initiative results in tangible reforms.
"Personal integrity is the foundation of institutional integrity," he said, urging the hospital's board, management and staff to move beyond compliance by actively using conflict of interest and gift registers to eliminate corruption.
He warned that corruption in the health sector undermines healthcare delivery, weakens governance, violates human rights and erodes public trust.
Citing findings from the EACC Kenya National Gender and Corruption Survey 2025, Mr. Okon'go said sustained efforts were needed to institutionalise corruption prevention measures across the health sector. He also encouraged healthcare workers to uphold ethical conduct both in their professional and personal lives.
KNH Chief Executive Officer Dr. Richard Lesiyampe reaffirmed the hospital's commitment to promoting professionalism, transparency and accountability through robust governance systems.
He said the hospital would continue to strengthen merit-based recruitment and promotion, whistleblower protection mechanisms and continuous ethics training to safeguard patients and improve service delivery.
"Integrity in healthcare is critical to protecting patients, enhancing service delivery and restoring public confidence in public institutions," Dr. Lesiyampe said.
The event was held under the theme, “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa."
Both KNH and EACC pledged to deepen their collaboration in implementing corruption prevention frameworks and embedding ethical practices across the country's largest referral hospital.
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