A nationwide inspection by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has uncovered widespread malpractice in Kenya’s private health sector. In a sweeping move, the council has shut down 511 health facilities and arrested 31 individuals across just three counties: Nairobi, Mandera, and Wajir.
The operation, launched under the directive of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, is part of a campaign to restore order in the country’s overwhelmed and underregulated private health sector. Out of the 1,525 facilities inspected so far, many were found to be operating without licenses, using unregistered medical staff, or lacking essential departments like pharmacies, laboratories, and maternity wards.
Nairobi recorded the highest number of closures, with 376 out of 1,017 facilities shut down. In Wajir, 77 of 239 health centers were closed, while Mandera saw 58 out of 269 shut their doors.
KMPDC CEO Dr. David Kariuki said most of the facilities failed basic health and safety requirements. Some had no proper sanitation systems, lacked clean water, and operated in unhygienic conditions. Others were functioning without qualified medical personnel or used faulty and outdated equipment.
Also, 267 facilities were downgraded for failing to deliver the full range of services they were originally licensed to offer. These centers either lacked critical medical supplies, had broken equipment, or were short on trained staff, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.
Dr. Kariuki emphasized that inspections will continue and warned that any facility found closed during their listed working hours will be marked inactive and removed from the official register.
This aggressive cleanup is being hailed as a necessary step to protect public health and ensure quality standards across all healthcare providers. The council is urging all medical facilities to comply with regulations or face penalties.
Kenyans are now being encouraged to report any suspicious or poorly run health centers to the authorities, as the government works to reclaim trust and safety in the health system.
By Risper Akinyi