Government to Establish Anti-Fraud Police Unit to Crack Down on Quack Doctors

By : Mweru Mbugua 

The government is set to establish a specialised anti-fraud police unit to curb the rising cases of unlicensed and untrained individuals offering illegal health services across the country

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the new unit will spearhead a nationwide crackdown on fake clinics and unqualified medical practitioners, working closely with officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to enforce professional standards

“We will crack the whip. We are planning to form an anti-fraud police unit to deal decisively with fraud in the health sector,” Duale said, warning quack doctors and unlicensed practitioners to cease operations immediately

The CS added that the Ministry of Health will digitise the healthcare system through a central dashboard listing all licensed doctors, dentists and pharmacies, while also flagging illegal operators

He noted that operating a health facility without KMPDC approval is illegal, adding that a multi-agency task force will be formed and the council’s budget increased to strengthen enforcement

The announcement comes barely two weeks after the death of Amos Isoka, who succumbed to complications following a botched tooth extraction at an illegal clinic in Kawangware. Isoka died at Kenyatta National Hospital after developing severe swelling of the neck, tongue and chest

Duale directed Kenyatta National Hospital to waive all medical bills incurred by the deceased, saying the government would take responsibility in cases where citizens suffer due to malpractice or negligence

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In addition, the Ministry plans to introduce a new regulatory framework dubbed the “Scope of Practice,” which will strictly limit medical procedures to what practitioners are formally trained to perform

“Once we launch the Scope of Practice, every health worker will only treat patients based on what they studied in college. There will be no grey areas,” Duale said

Meanwhile, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have returned to the illegal Kawangware clinic to collect more evidence. Items seized include laboratory equipment, assorted drugs and an identification card bearing the name Lowrence King’atua Kamau

Police have launched a manhunt for suspects believed to be behind the illegal operation, who remain at large