Duale warns rogue clinics, vows to release 'list of shame'

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale at the official launch of a new collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Aga Khan University Hospital on May 28, 2025/CHRISTABEL ADHIAMBO.  

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a stern warning to rogue medical facilities across the country, saying the government will name and shame all unqualified and non-compliant health centres by June 14, 2025.

Speaking during the launch of a new partnership between the Ministry of Health and Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, Duale said the list will expose clinics previously contracted under the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) that are now under investigation for fraudulent activities.

“We are resolved to crack down on unqualified medical practitioners. All players in the health sector must operate within the law,” Duale said.

He revealed that the Ministry has rolled out a “track and trace” system that monitors the movement of medicine and the conduct of procedures in hospitals, helping to flag illegal surgeries and unauthorised practices.

At the same event, Duale lauded the new collaboration with Aga Khan University Hospital, describing it as a key milestone in the government's push for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The partnership, he said, will facilitate lifesaving surgical support—especially kidney transplants and cardiac surgeries—for eligible patients enrolled under the Social Health Authority (SHA), the new body replacing NHIF.

“This agreement offers critical financial protection to SHA patients who need kidney transplants and various heart surgeries,” he said.

“It ensures that no one pays out-of-pocket costs beyond what SHA covers, helping prevent families from falling into poverty due to medical bills.”

Duale emphasised that financial hardship should never be a barrier to lifesaving treatment.

He urged other health providers—both public and private, including faith-based institutions—to adopt similar models to expand affordable care.

“The goal is to make Kenya self-reliant in specialist treatments that have previously forced citizens to seek care abroad,” he added.

He also called for the full implementation of the SHA Tariff and Benefits Package to guarantee consistent access to critical services.