A tragic case involving a botched tooth extraction has resulted in the death of Amos Isoka, renewing concern over the dangers posed by unqualified medical practitioners and fuelling calls for stricter regulation of Kenya’s health sector.
Isoka, a resident of Kawangware, Nairobi, died on Wednesday evening at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he had been undergoing treatment after developing severe swelling of the neck, tongue and chest following the procedure.
He succumbed to breathing complications in the critical care unit, 15 days after the extraction, which was allegedly performed at an unlicensed clinic run by an unqualified practitioner.
His family described the ordeal as devastating, saying they watched helplessly as his condition deteriorated. Isoka had been admitted for a week and had already undergone two surgeries, with a third operation scheduled for Thursday before his death.
“I was told Amos needed a chest operation. The Doctor later informed me that his heartbeat worsened during the night and eventually stopped. They tried to assist him to breathe, but it didn't work, and Amos passed away at around 4 am,” said his wife, Vivian Nekesa.
His brother, Levi Isoka, expressed frustration and grief, accusing the person responsible of being dismissive even after the tragedy.
“We do not feel okay because the man responsible even spoke to us badly. What we want is justice. We have nothing, it is just the two of us trying to help our mother,” he said.
Several dentists who spoke on condition of anonymity warned that regulatory complacency within the health sector remains widespread. They noted that Isoka’s case is not an isolated incident, claiming many similar victims never get an opportunity to speak out.
The practitioners revealed that doctors pay between KSh 10,000 and KSh 20,000 annually for professional standards enforcement, maintenance and public education, yet effective enforcement continues to lag, exposing patients to potentially fatal risks.