A recent audit report has unveiled a serious compliance issue within Kenya’s healthcare sector, revealing that nearly 9,000 health facilities are operating without proper registration. The Auditor General’s report, presented by Nancy Gathungu, harshly criticizes the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists’ Council (KMPDC) for its failure to enforce legal operational standards.
According to the report, of the 16,527 health facilities listed on the KMPDC website for the year 2023, only 7,518—approximately 46 percent—were found to adhere to licensing regulations. This leaves a staggering 9,009 facilities, or 56 percent, unregistered and operating illegally.
The audit highlights that many of these unlicensed facilities are government dispensaries and hospitals at the national and county levels, which are exempt from annual licensing fees but have failed to complete the required registration process. This oversight contravenes Section 15(2) of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, 2012, which mandates that the Council must register any facility meeting the necessary criteria for approval.
The report further criticizes KMPDC for its lack of action in ensuring compliance among government facilities, noting that there was no evidence of efforts to address this issue.
In addition, the KMPDC faces financial management issues, with outstanding debts totaling Sh5,471,937 for Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and an additional Sh53,175,567 in unpaid bills for goods and services. The report emphasizes that these financial discrepancies distort financial statements and negatively impact future budget allocations.
Moreover, the KMPDC is accused of violating budget regulations, with a reported surplus of Sh139.4 million, which contradicts Regulation 33(c) of the Public Finance Management (National Government) Regulations, 2015, which requires balanced budgets during formulation and approval processes.
This audit comes less than a year after the KMPDC requested police intervention against 3,851 health facilities and 3,050 medical and dental practitioners for failing to renew their licenses. Among the facilities operating without renewed licenses in Nairobi last November were several notable names, including 3RD Park Hospital Limited, A.I.C Zion Medical Clinic, and Africare Limited clinics across various locations.
The KMPDC, responsible for regulating, training, and licensing medical and dental practices, faces mounting scrutiny over its regulatory shortcomings and financial mismanagement.
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