Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale. Photo Courtesy. 
By Our Reporter
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has put doctors on notice over alleged malpractice of diverting patients from public hospitals to private facilities during official working hours.
Speaking in Tharaka Nithi County, where he was invited by Governor Muthomi Njuki to commission a new ultra-modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and an amenity wing at Chuka Level 5 Hospital, CS Duale warned that such practices amount to fraud and will no longer be tolerated.
“Some doctors attached to government facilities are deliberately sending patients to private hospitals they operate, thereby denying the public facilities that pay their salaries rightful revenue,” Duale said. “Starting January, strict measures will be introduced to hold such doctors accountable.”
The CS cited Kenyatta National Hospital as a case in point, noting that despite having 26 theatres and top-notch specialists, patients often face review or theatre dates months away. Yet, assistants of the same doctors schedule appointments for these patients at private facilities within a day.
In response, Duale has directed the Digital Health Authority to monitor claims closely and take stern action against any doctor registered to a public facility who carries out private practice during official hours.
Governor Njuki supported the CS’s stance, criticizing what he described as “extremely ambitious” Gen Z doctors seeking multiple jobs for monetary gain. He accused some of using public facilities merely as a patient retention ground for their private practices, even when county hospitals are better equipped.
The newly commissioned ICU at Chuka Level 5 is the first of its kind in the region, featuring a five-bed capacity and two isolation units for critically ill patients. The new amenity ward will offer services similar to private hospital rooms, providing patients with high-quality care within the public system.
Both CS Duale and Governor Njuki emphasized the need for accountability and warned medical unions that continued malpractice will face zero tolerance.
