Over 600 Health Facilities Shut Down

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), on Saturday, disclosed that it shut down 609 health facilities in a nationwide crackdown that began in January this year. 

According to KMPDC, the 609 hospitals were found non-compliant with relevant health guidelines. 

Out of the 609, 75 were shut down in Narok County between November 6 and 10 in an inspection conducted alongside county government officials and detectives drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

MPDC, DCI, and the County Government officials visited 255 facilities in Narok within five days and 3,900 facilities countrywide over the last eleven months.

“During the exercise, 255 facilities were visited, resulting in 75 non-compliant facilities being shut down, while 6 individuals were arrested for practicing without proper licenses,” read part of the report posted on social media platform X.

“So this inspection is geared towards ensuring compliance and is an assessment to ensure that the personnel working there, the infrastructure together with the operation of the facilities comply to the set standards,” KMPDCU director of corporate services Phillip Ole Kamwaro stated in an interview with the press in Narok.

The six suspects will be arraigned in court to face various charges, including practicing without valid licenses.

KMPDCU, on July 19, published a list of unlicensed medical facilities and dental practitioners and warned that they risked closure and conviction.

The council also cautioned members of the public against visiting such hospitals, which were accused of circumventing health laws. 

KMPDC further shared the list with NHIF, the National Police Service, insurance firms, and other authorities to delist the facilities and medics. 

“Health facility owners are notified that operating without valid licenses is an offense, and practitioners should only be engaged within their scope of practice.

“KMPDC stands firm in its mission to regulate medical practitioners and facilities, ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to all Kenyans,” the dentists cautioned.