Duale warns of dire consequences for licensing non-compliant hospitals
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has warned of grave repercussions for accrediting and licensing non-compliant medical facilities in the country.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, CS Duale issued a stern warning to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), indicating that appropriate action would be taken against any registration officer involved in the malpractice.
During his maiden visit to the KMPDC offices in Nairobi, Duale told the officials that his ministry would not treat cases of such malpractices as usual.
His warning came amidst a probe into a suspected case of organ transplanting in the country. A report by a foreign media station exposed the practice, sparking uproar from a section of Kenyans.
President William Ruto responded by suspending former Kesses Member of Parliament Dr. Swarup Mishra as the chair of the Kenya BioVax Institute.
In a statement, Ruto explained that Swarup was suspended after the exposรฉ mentioned Mediheal Hospital, which was founded by Dr. Mishra, among facilities carrying out organ transplants irregularly.
Ruto noted that the suspension was to pave the way for investigations. Duale also sent home two officials from the Ministry of Health to erase any conflict of interest in the ongoing probe of the hospital.
In the past, cases of fake doctors and facilities operating without appropriate licenses have made headlines, raising concerns among Kenyans. However, Duale committed to dealing with the vice starting from the top.
Transparency
With the country dealing with various cases of medical facilities operating without following the stipulated guidelines, the health CS challenged the council to uphold integrity, transparency, and service to the public as stipulated under Section 33(2) of the 2023 Social Health Insurance Act.
โLet your operations reflect integrity, transparency, and service to the public,โ he urged, while calling for timely service delivery, teamwork, and efficient use of public resources.
At the same time, he emphasised the KMPDU’s role in ensuring all Kenyans, regardless of age or economic status, can access safe, quality healthcare delivered by qualified professionals.
Government support
After breaking down his expectations, Duale assured KMPDU of government support in enhancing its effectiveness through legislative reforms, resource mobilisation, and stronger coordination with counties and professional bodies.
He also briefed the council on the ministry’s Digital Health Agency, highlighting its role in identifying and cracking down on unqualified medical practitioners to safeguard the public from substandard care.
Duale was accompanied by the newly sworn-in Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, who stressed the need for a clear competency framework and robust professional practice evaluation to enhance service delivery and ensure high standards across the sector.
