NAIROBI, Kenya — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced plans to establish a specialised police unit to enforce compliance within the medical profession, following the death of Amos Isoka, who succumbed to complications after an alleged botched tooth extraction at an unlicensed clinic.
Duale said the proposed unit will target unqualified and unlicensed healthcare practitioners, as well as fraud within the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The announcement comes amid public outrage over Isoka’s death, which has renewed scrutiny of weak regulation, medical quackery, and accountability gaps in Kenya’s healthcare system.
“If you are a healthcare practitioner who is not licensed and has not gone to school like the one who mishandled our patient, I am telling them they better go look for somewhere else to do their business,” Duale said.
According to the CS, the unit will work alongside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and relevant regulatory bodies to identify, arrest and prosecute offenders.
“We are planning to form an anti-fraud police unit to deal with medical fraud, including fraud within SHA, where people are opening facilities and siphoning public money,” Duale added.
The Ministry of Health confirmed it is jointly investigating the incident with the DCI to ensure all those implicated are held accountable.
Isoka died on Thursday, January 15, at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he had been admitted after his condition deteriorated following a tooth extraction at a local clinic in Kawangware days earlier.
Medical professionals at Wema Hospital, where Isoka initially sought further care, reportedly raised concerns that his complications may have resulted from the use of unsterilised dental instruments, prompting his referral to KNH.
He was admitted at the national referral hospital for about a week, but his condition worsened. He later developed severe chest and breathing complications.
“I was told Amos needed chest surgery because he had developed pressure issues the previous night. He stopped breathing and was taken for CPR, but he passed away at around 11 p.m.,” his wife said.
Duale further directed that all medical bills incurred at KNH be waived, citing government policy in cases involving medical negligence or injuries sustained during public events.
“Tomorrow morning, I will direct KNH to waive all the bills of our late brother. This is the same way we do when people are injured during protests or other events,” he said.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has since confirmed that the clinic where the tooth extraction was performed was operating illegally, reinforcing concerns about the proliferation of unregulated medical facilities, particularly in low-income urban settlements.
The case has sparked renewed debate about regulatory enforcement under the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act and the government’s obligation under Article 43 of the Constitution, which guarantees every person the right to the highest attainable standard of health.
Health policy experts warn that without sustained enforcement, inter-agency coordination, and routine inspections, rogue practitioners will continue to exploit regulatory loopholes, placing patients at risk.
Duale said the proposed police unit will be part of broader reforms aimed at restoring public trust in the healthcare system, strengthening oversight under SHA, and ensuring patient safety remains paramount.
Investigations into Isoka’s death are ongoing.
