Duale warns doctors against running private clinics during official hours

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a stern warning to doctors who run private clinics during official working hours, instead of serving patients in public hospitals where they are employed.

CS Duale says such practices are undermining service delivery and worsening challenges in the public health sector, terming them fraudulent and unacceptable. 

Duale was speaking in Tharaka Nithi County during the commissioning of a new ultra-modern intensive care unit and an amenity wing at Chuka Level Five Hospital.

The ceremony quickly turned into a blistering exposé of what Duale called the rot eroding Kenya’s public health sector.

The CS accused some doctors employed in government facilities of diverting patients from public hospitals to private clinics they operate, a practice he says is bleeding the system dry.

“Kenyatta iko na 26 theaters, ukienda unaambiwa ukienda private nitafanya kesho, even the ones at KNH they either work at Kenyatta or those private hospitals," he said.

Duale has now directed the Digital Health Authority to clamp down on doctors who claim from private facilities during official working hours, despite being employed in public hospitals. From January, he says, the system will automatically block such payments.

“In January, the system will enforce something. Tell your members that SHA will only reimburse on any claim signed based on Practice 360 where you are employed… if you are employed kwa Level 5, hiyo hospitali na daktari will not be paid by SHA," he stated.

The health CS also took aim at private hospitals, accusing some of profiteering from desperate patients through exorbitant and unjustified charges.

Tharaka Nithi Governor, Muthomi Njuki, who was also at the event, added, "Those doctors have made hospitals a detention, they refer to the clinics, not all but out of 36, 3 or 4… if the system is rotten, you cannot work at Chuka Hospital then refer them to their clinic.”

Duale has now put the doctors’ union on notice, saying the practice will no longer be tolerated as the government moves to restore discipline and trust in public healthcare.