Safeguarding Lives: Kenya’s Bold Anti-Fraud Police Unit Targets Quack Doctors
Kenya’s government is launching a specialized anti-fraud police unit to combat quack doctors and unlicensed clinics, as announced by Health CS Aden Duale.
This nationwide crackdown follows a tragic incident where a patient died from complications of a botched tooth extraction in Kawangware.
Amos Isoka passed away on Wednesday evening at Kenyatta National Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment after developing severe swelling of the neck, tongue and chest.
“Tomorrow morning, I will direct KNH to waive all the bills of our late brother, who was mishandled by the quick doctor. This will be the same way we do when people even go there after being injured during protests or other events,” Duale said.
Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale said on Sunday that the nationwide crackdown will target fake clinics and medics, and the special police unit will be deployed alongside the Kenya Medical Practitioners Council officials to enforce required standards.
“We will crack the whip. We are planning to form an Anti-fraud police unit to deal with fraud in SHA,” he said.
“If you are a quack doctor or a healthcare practitioner who is not licensed, I am telling them they better look for somewhere else where they can do quack business.”
The initiative aims to protect public health by enforcing licensing standards and digitizing healthcare oversight.
Crackdown Details and Triggers
Health CS Duale stated the unit will work with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council to raid fake facilities and arrest unlicensed practitioners .
“The law is very clear, you cannot run a health clinic if you are not licensed by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council. We are forming a multi-agency task force and increasing the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council’s budget,” Duale noted.
The move responds to rising cases of medical negligence, including the Kawangware death of Amos Isoka, who suffered severe swelling after visiting a quack dentist .
Police have already seized drugs and equipment from illegal clinics, with suspects on the run .
“Once we launch the Scope of Practice, every health worker will only treat patients based on what they studied in college. No more grey areas,” CS Duale noted.
In the meantime, DCI detectives returned to the illegal clinic in Kawangware, searching for evidence that could aid their investigation.
Among the items seized by police are: laboratory equipment, assorted drugs, and an identification card bearing the name “Lowrence King’atua Kamau.”
A manhunt is underway to apprehend the suspects who are still at large.
Key Measures and Reforms
A multi-agency task force will boost enforcement, alongside increased funding for regulatory bodies .
Digitization via a central dashboard will track licensed professionals, exposing fraud in the Social Health Authority (SHA) .
The new “scope of practice” framework ensures health workers perform only trained procedures, eliminating grey areas .
This targets systemic fraud, building on recent SHA scam busts and unlicensed operations in areas like Kayole .
CS Duale warned quacks to quit or face prosecution, promising bill waivers for victims like Isoka at Kenyatta National Hospital . Such reforms promise safer, accountable healthcare, deterring malpractice and restoring trust.