Council to crack down on foreign doctors working in Kenya illegally

KMPDC CEO Dr David Kariuki before the National Assembly's Health committee at the Bunge Towers, Nairobi. 15 February, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has pledged to crack down on illegal practitioners. KMPDC data shows 17,749 locally registered doctors, of whom 11,751 are currently practising. In contrast, 1,663 licensed foreign doctors are registered in Kenya, but only 546 are actively practising. In a statement, KMPDC Chief Executive Officer David Kariuki noted that the audit is aimed at guaranteeing the highest standards of healthcare and patient safety. He said licensing of foreign medical practitioners is governed by Section 6 (5) of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act of 2019 and the Medical Practitioners and Dentists (Inspections and Licensing) Rules, 2022. "In line with a directive from the Cabinet Secretary for Health, KMPDC is undertaking a comprehensive audit of all foreign medical practitioners licensed to practise in Kenya," said Dr Kariuki. The probe into the unethical practice comes in the wake of a directive by Health CS Adan Duale to freeze the licensing of foreign medical practitioners. This happens amid growing concerns of influx of foreign doctors in Kenya, particularly in private hospitals. It is alleged that at least eight out of every ten doctors in private hospitals are foreign. KMPDC said it is conducting an audit for 90 days, to address transparency and any concerns regarding the licensing process. The procedure of licensing foreign nationals, it emerged, entails auditing academic documents, followed by confirmation of the university where they trained. The professionals are then given an exam which is they pass; they are licensed to practise here. For specialised doctors like cardiologists and oncologists, they have their academic papers reviewed, the university of study is reached out to, and further peer review is done with a team of other senior specialists in their field of study, and later granted a licence to practise. When employed, the foreign nationals are expected to receive salary just like that earned by Kenyans, including stipends by virtue of being in a foreign state. "Safeguarding the well-being of patients is at the core of KMPDC's mandate. To this end, the Council conducts thorough evaluations of all foreign medical practitioners as prescribed by law," said Dr Kariuki in a statement. But the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) says there is a lot of interference in registration of foreign practitioners and a lack of clear regulation. "There is a lot of political interference from politicians and the ministry, where individuals call KMPDC and order them to license the doctors instantly without undergoing scrutiny. This is why we have an influx of foreign doctors," KMPDU Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah. "I had a discussion with KMPDC, and they said they have no control over the number of doctors coming in because their job is just to license," said Dr Atellah in an interview with The Standard. The union pleaded with the National Employment Authority and the Immigration Department to take charge of the flow of foreign nationals in the country.

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Council to crack down on foreign doctors working in Kenya illegally

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