Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has directed the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to investigate medical practitioners who publicly claimed miraculous healings at a recent crusade, warning that unverified assertions by licensed professionals pose a serious risk to public safety.
In a statement on his X , Duale said while the Ministry of Health respects faith and spiritual practices, matters concerning health and life must be guided by science, ethics, and evidence-based medicine.
“The Ministry of Health recognizes and respects the important place of faith and spiritual nourishment in the lives of our people. However, matters of health and life must remain firmly grounded in science, ethics and evidence-based medicine,” he said.
The Cabinet Secretary cautioned that any claims of miraculous healing, particularly when made by trained and licensed medical practitioners, must be supported by credible medical proof.
“Any claims of miraculous healing, especially by licensed medical practitioners, must be supported by verifiable, scientifically proven medical evidence,” the statement read.
He added that unsubstantiated claims amount to medical misinformation and “pose a direct threat to human life and public safety.”
As a result, the Ministry has instructed the KMPDC to immediately investigate doctors and other medical professionals who testified to such claims during the crusade.
According to Duale, those under investigation will be required to submit “full clinical documentation and scientific proof” to support their public statements.
The Ministry warned that failure to provide such evidence will lead to severe consequences. “Failure to do so will attract serious disciplinary action, including possible suspension or revocation of licenses for professional misconduct and violation of medical ethics,” Duale said.
The Health CS emphasized that the government will not tolerate the abuse of professional medical authority, particularly where it risks misleading the public or endangering patients.
“The Ministry will not tolerate the misuse of medical authority to mislead the public, endanger patients or undermine trust in the healthcare system,” he stated.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) had on Saturday condemned claims of faith-based healing for serious medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS and cancer, warning that such assertions are unverified and pose serious risks to public health, particularly when made by trained medical practitioners.
In a statement issued on claims attributed to certain practitioners during a religious crusade in Nakuru, the Council said it was “deeply concerned” by reports suggesting that chronic and life-threatening conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, blindness, deafness, muteness and physical disabilities could be cured through faith healing. KMPDC described the claims as unethical and misleading, noting that they could endanger vulnerable patients.
“The Council unequivocally condemns such statements by medical practitioners, which are based on unverified claims,” KMPDC said, stressing that it remains the statutory body mandated to regulate medical and dental practice in Kenya and to safeguard public health.
KMPDC warned that unsubstantiated claims, particularly when made by health professionals, may mislead patients into abandoning proven therapies. Such actions, the Council noted, could result in “worsened health outcomes, drug resistance, or loss of life.”
