Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a stern warning to doctors engaged in what he described as fraudulent practices by working in private facilities during official government working hours, saying the trend is undermining public healthcare delivery.
Speaking in Tharaka Nithi County during the commissioning of a new ultra-modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and an amenity wing at Chuka Level 5 Hospital, Duale said some doctors employed in public facilities are deliberately redirecting patients to private hospitals where they also practice, while neglecting their duties in government institutions that pay their salaries.
According to the CS, the practice has become widespread, with doctors allegedly denying public facilities revenue and services by either referring patients elsewhere or failing to attend to them during official working hours between 8 am and 5 pm.
Duale said such conduct amounts to fraud and would no longer be tolerated.
“Starting January, there will be new measures to punish doctors who are working elsewhere within official working hours, especially those attached to specific public facilities,” Duale said.
He cited Kenyatta National Hospital as an example, noting that despite the facility having about 26 theatres and highly qualified specialists, patients are often given review or surgery dates two months away.
He said the same patients are later approached by assistants linked to the doctors, who offer much earlier dates at private facilities.
In a further directive, Duale instructed the Digital Health Authority to take firm action from January against any doctor registered to a public facility who submits claims from a private facility during official working hours.
He said digital records would be used to enhance accountability and curb abuse of the system.
The remarks were backed by Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who accused what he termed “Gen Z doctors” of being overly ambitious and seeking multiple jobs primarily for financial gain.
Njuki alleged that some doctors use public hospitals as retention grounds to source patients for their private practices.
The governor said in some instances, county health facilities are better equipped than the private hospitals to which patients are referred but are deliberately bypassed due to monetary interests.
He called for stricter oversight to protect public resources and patient welfare.
Duale said he would hold doctors accountable and placed their unions on notice, warning that continued tolerance of the practice would come to an end.
During the visit, the CS commissioned a first-of-its-kind ICU in the region, with an initial five-bed capacity and two isolation units for critically ill patients.
He also opened a new amenity ward designed to offer services comparable to private hospital rooms, aimed at improving patient choice and service delivery at the county facility.
