Nairobi — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has put doctors on notice over what he described as fraudulent practices involving engagement in private work during official government working hours, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The Cabinet Secretary said the practice has become widespread, with some doctors employed in public health facilities allegedly diverting patients to private hospitals in which they have interests.
He noted that in doing so, they either neglect or deliberately deny services in the public institutions that pay their salaries.
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Speaking in Tharaka Nithi County, where he was hosted by Governor Muthomi Njuki to commission a new ultra-modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and an amenity wing at Chuka Level Five Hospital, Duale announced that from January, the government will introduce strict measures to punish doctors found working in private facilities during official hours while attached to public institutions.
Citing Kenyatta National Hospital as an example, Duale observed that despite the facility having about 26 operating theatres and highly qualified specialists, patients are often given surgery or review dates several months away.
He said some patients are then approached by associates of the same doctors and offered earlier appointments at private facilities.
The Cabinet Secretary further directed the Digital Health Authority to take firm action from January against any doctor registered at a public facility who submits insurance or medical claims from a private hospital during official working hours.
Governor Njuki backed Duale's remarks, accusing what he termed "Gen Z doctors" of being overly ambitious and driven by the pursuit of multiple jobs to maximize income.
He alleged that some doctors use public hospitals merely as patient retention grounds to channel clients to their private practices.
Duale warned that his ministry will demand full accountability from doctors and placed medical unions on notice, saying the continued practice will no longer be tolerated.
Governor Njuki added that, in some cases, county-level public facilities are better equipped than the private hospitals to which patients are referred. However, he said profit motives often lead doctors to deny public facilities the opportunity to offer services.
The ICU commissioned in Tharaka Nithi is the first of its kind in the region. Its initial phase has a five-bed capacity, including two isolation units for critically ill patients.
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