This archive report was first published on 20 October 2019.
On October 20, 2019, the Ministry of Health ordered the closure of 566 health facilities operating illegally in Kenya. However, a recent investigation by the Sunday Nation has revealed that many of these facilities are still operational.
According to the investigation, several health facilities in Nairobi and Kisumu counties were found to be open for business despite the notice from the Ministry. These facilities included Sigma Medical and Lab Services, Tiba Poa Care Center, and Smart Dental Clinic, all located in Pipeline and Kayole.
The facilities were closed due to being operated by unqualified personnel. An attendant at one of the facilities in Pipeline was quoted as saying, “It is not that we have committed a big crime. Several unlicensed chemists are operating around, why is it that they are concentrating on us? I am not a quack; I am qualified, but I don’t have that money needed by the Board to register these facilities.”
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB) has been tasked with spearheading the closure of these facilities. However, the process of getting registered is lengthy and costly, with registration fees ranging from Sh5,000 to Sh15,000 and annual licence fees ranging from Sh10,000 to Sh30,000.
Dr. Nelly Bosire, a gynaecologist and obstetrician, attributes the high number of illegally operated health facilities to the lack of awareness among the public. She suggests that the use of technology will help curb fake cards and make it easier to identify quacks.
Mr. Daniel Yumbya, KMPDB Chief Executive Officer, argues that the market is filled with people who want to make money at the expense of the lives of Kenyans. He believes that the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board Amendment Bill, 2018, which was signed into law in May 2019, will help to curb the menace once and for all.
