Protect patients, Nyong'o tells doctors

Doctors have been urged to uphold ethics so as to protect patients under their care from professional negligence.

Medical Services minister Anyang Nyong’o Tuesday gave the warning following increased cases of professional negligence against doctors which had been reported to the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board.

Currently, 470 discipline cases against doctors in both private and public health facilities had been lodged with the board.

“Out of these cases, 250 have been finalised while the rest are at various stages of investigations,” Prof Nyong’o said.

The primary duty of the board sitting as a tribunal, the minister said, is to protect the public and the profession.

“My advice therefore is that there is need for doctors and dentists to reciprocate with the allegiance to the oath of their office by offering the best care to patients at all times,” Prof Nyong’o added.

The minister was speaking when he inaugurated the new board members during a ceremony held at their offices in Nairobi.

The 11-member board will serve for the next five years.

Earlier, Prof Nyong’o urged the board to intensify crackdown on quacks in bid to safeguard the lives of patients.

During the ceremony, outgoing board chairman Julius Kyambi said his members had inspected 1,080 medical institutions in the last two years through joint inspections with other regulatory bodies.

“Over 195 clinics and nursing homes were ordered closed due to lack of qualified staff, poor sanitation standards or licences,” Prof Kyambi added.

Prof George Magoha, who replaces Prof Kyambi, pledged that the new team would strive to ensure that quality service will be upheld by carrying out regular inspections.

Currently, 6,797 doctors and 849 dentists have been registered by the board.