The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council has closed 728 health facilities across the country in a major crackdown targeting hospitals and clinics operating below required health standards.
According to the Council, the operation that it carried out with county governments and other health regulators is supposed to enforce its Inspections and Licensing Rules, 2022, so that Kenyans receive safe and quality healthcare.
The exercise, which started in March, has to date covered both public and private facilities in the counties of Mandera, Nairobi, Wajir, Kisii, and Nyamira. Of every 1,983 inspected facilities, 728 were seriously non-compliant and ordered closed.
Nairobi County had the most closures at 394, followed by Kisii 120, Nyamira with 79 cases, Wajir 77, and Mandera 58.
Apart from the shutdowns, 301 other facilities were downgraded for not meeting the minimum standards for infrastructure and service delivery.
“The inspections are guided by the Inspection and Licensing Rules, 2022, developed under the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, CAP 253.
These rules provide a framework for ensuring healthcare facilities operate ethically and professionally,” KMPDC said in a statement.
The council also declared that it had arrested 31 people for operating unlicensed clinics and hiring unregistered medical workers.
KMPDC defended the crackdown, stating it was to protect Kenyans from medical errors, malpractice, and unsafe treatment environments.
“Our first duty is to protect patients. We will continue applying the law with firmness and fairness, so that every Kenyan gets quality healthcare,” read a statement from the Council.
The Council further noted that the operation continues in other counties in the coming weeks as part of efforts to streamline health services, ensure full compliance with national healthcare standards.
