NAIROBI, Kenya – Senators have launched a probe into the rising number of county-employed health workers operating private clinics during official working hours—an issue they say is crippling public healthcare and endangering lives.
The Senate Health Committee is demanding firm disciplinary measures against medical professionals who abandon patients in public hospitals to attend to their private ventures.
They argue the practice amounts to a serious breach of public trust and is contributing to the deterioration of healthcare services across the country.
“The state of healthcare service delivery in counties is deteriorating due to public medical practitioners concurrently engaging in private practice,” said nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda during a committee session.
To get to the bottom of the issue, the committee has summoned key regulatory agencies—including the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC), the Clinical Officers Council (COC), and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB)—to provide data on all licensed medical personnel and their employment affiliations.
Senators are also demanding a full list of private clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals operated by county health workers, as well as any disciplinary actions taken against those flouting public service ethics.
The move comes in the wake of a damning Senate report that revealed alarming neglect and poor conditions in several public health facilities.
Among the issues flagged were drug shortages, broken equipment, staff deficits, incomplete infrastructure, and lack of basic supplies such as patient curtains—particularly in maternity wards.
During recent site visits to hospitals in Bomet, Kisii, Kisumu, Nyamira, and Vihiga counties, the committee uncovered widespread operational dysfunction.
At Longisa County Referral Hospital, for example, the maternity ward—built for 16 patients—was handling up to 120, with only two doctors and three nurses per shift.
“The ward had 46 patients admitted against a bed capacity of 39 during our visit. This is a crisis,” the committee noted.
Senators say the situation is further worsened by public health workers who divert their time and skills to private facilities—often leaving patients in government hospitals unattended or under-cared for.
The Health Committee has now asked regulators to outline existing policies designed to prevent such conflicts of interest, as well as provide an update on enforcement efforts.
The Senate’s intervention comes at a time when the healthcare system is under immense pressure, with widespread staff dissatisfaction, delayed salaries in some counties, and public complaints about the quality of services in devolved health institutions.
Lawmakers are pushing for urgent reforms to ensure that medical personnel paid by taxpayers remain accountable, and that public hospitals are properly staffed, stocked, and equipped to meet growing demand.
“This isn’t just about ethics. It’s about saving lives,” said a committee member. “We cannot afford a healthcare system where doctors check into public hospitals in the morning, then disappear to run their private clinics for the rest of the day. That has to stop.”
