The Kenya Association of Muslim Medical Professionals (KAMMP) has condemned fraud in Kenya’s healthcare system, warning that it is both haram in Islam and a criminal offence under the law.
In a statement issued on Monday, the group’s president, Ahmed Yakub Kalebi, issued the warning following the closure of several facilities over fraudulent claims linked to the former National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the Social Health Authority (SHA).
KAMMP said healthcare fraud undermines patient care, erodes public trust in the medical profession and weakens the country’s health system.
“Healthcare fraud is theft — haram in Islam and a crime under law. Public healthcare funds belong to the people of Kenya, especially the poor and vulnerable who depend on them for survival,” Kalebi said.
The association issued the statement following enforcement action by the Ministry of Health through the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), which recently shut down several facilities linked to fraudulent medical claims.
Speaking during a KAMMP Iftar in Nairobi on Sunday, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed that a number of health facilities had already been closed over suspected fraud involving claims under the defunct NHIF and the newly established SHA.
Duale said investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have resulted in several cases being forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for prosecution. The announcement was made in the presence of SHA chairman Abdi Mohamed.
KAMMP welcomed the government’s crackdown on healthcare fraud, commending the Health Cabinet Secretary and SHA leadership for taking decisive action.
“Their willingness to take decisive action without fear or favour, including against facilities owned by members of their own communities, demonstrates that there must be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption,” the association said.
However, the group also expressed concern that a significant number of facilities implicated in the closures appear to be Muslim-owned institutions located in counties with large Muslim populations.
KAMMP warned members of the public against participating in fraudulent schemes, noting that some investigations have revealed cases where individuals allowed their SHA membership details to be used to generate false claims.
In other cases, membership accounts were reportedly used to obtain services for individuals who were not registered under the scheme.
The association urged Muslim faithful to avoid such practices, saying they constitute both criminal offences and serious moral violations under Islamic teachings.
Quoting religious teachings, the organisation cited the Qur’anic warning: “Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly.” It also referenced a saying of Prophet Muhammad: “Whoever cheats us is not one of us.”
KAMMP further encouraged Muslim communities across the country to actively register for the SHA programme, noting that while Mombasa County currently leads nationally in registration, several counties in North Eastern Kenya remain significantly behind.
The association called on healthcare professionals, regulators, community leaders and the public to work together to eradicate fraud and strengthen integrity in Kenya’s healthcare system.
