County prepares to close down illegal clinics, arrest quacks
Mr James Ngoci, an inspector with Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board, pins a closure notice on the entrance to an illegal laboratory in Maua town in Meru County on February 16, 2012. Illegal clinics will be shut down in Nakuru County. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Kabii Mungai - the county's health executive - said investigations by the health team established that 34 clinics had come up within Nakuru town in the past one month.
- Dr Mungai added that the county government will arrest and prosecute the culprits soon after investigations are completed.
The county government of Nakuru has announced a crackdown on illegal clinics that mushroomed during the doctors’ and nurses strike.
Kabii Mungai - the county's health executive - said investigations by the health team established that 34 clinics had come up within Nakuru town in the past one month, with 18 more cases being recorded in Molo town alone.
Dr Mungai said the clampdown is intended to weed out the unauthorised establishments.
Doctors are on strike demanding pay rise and better working conditions, among others.
He said cases of patient misdiagnosis have been reported.
"We expected that there would be mushrooming of quack operators during the strike and we have been keeping an eye across all the towns in the county,” he said.
Dr Mungai added that the county government will arrest and prosecute the culprits soon after investigations are completed.
He further directed the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB) to aid in the cause.
"We don’t have the prosecution powers. This is the responsibility of the board where we forward all the information regarding our findings," he said.
He also urged members of the public to only seek services from licensed providers.
