The Ministry of Health is stepping up efforts to protect Kenyans from unlicensed health providers by establishing a specialized anti-fraud police unit. The initiative comes as the number of illegal clinics and quack practitioners continues to rise, putting patients at serious risk.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the unit will operate alongside officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council to enforce proper medical standards nationwide.
"We will crack the whip. We are planning to form an Anti-fraud police unit to deal with fraud in SHA," he said.
The CS made it clear that anyone practicing medicine without proper licensing will face the full force of the law. "If you are a quack doctor or a healthcare practitioner who is not licensed, I am telling them they better look for somewhere else where they can do quack business."
As part of the crackdown, the Ministry plans to digitise all licensed healthcare providers, including doctors, dentists, and pharmacies, while identifying and exposing those operating illegally.
"The law is very clear, you cannot run a health clinic if you are not licensed by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council. We are forming a multi-agency task force and increasing the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council’s budget," Duale said.
The announcement follows the death of Amos Isoka, who passed away at Kenyatta National Hospital after complications from a tooth extraction performed by a quack dentist in Kawangware.
Isoka developed severe swelling in his neck, tongue, and chest, leading to his admission and subsequent death.
"Tomorrow morning, I will direct KNH to waive all the bills of our late brother, who was mishandled by the quick doctor. This will be the same way we do when people even go there after being injured during protests or other events," CS Duale said.
A new regulatory framework called the “scope of practice” will be introduced to ensure that health procedures are carried out strictly by trained professionals. "Once we launch the Scope of Practice, every health worker will only treat patients based on what they studied in college. No more grey areas," Duale added.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have returned to the Kawangware clinic to gather more evidence. Items seized include laboratory equipment, assorted medicines, and an ID card bearing the name “Lowrence King’atua Kamau.” Authorities are pursuing a manhunt to apprehend the suspects who remain at large.
