Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a strong warning to doctors employed in public hospitals who operate private practices during official working hours, terming the practice fraudulent and unacceptable.
Speaking in Tharaka Nithi County during the commissioning of a new ultra-modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and an amenity wing at Chuka Level 5 Hospital, Duale said the vice has become widespread across government health facilities.
He accused some doctors of neglecting their public duties while redirecting patients to private hospitals where they also practice, despite being salaried by the government to work between 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.
“Doctors are paid by the government to serve in public hospitals during official hours, yet some are attending to patients elsewhere. That is fraud and it will not be tolerated,” Duale said.
The CS announced that starting January, strict disciplinary measures will be enforced against doctors found working in private facilities during government working hours, especially those formally attached to specific public hospitals.
Citing Kenyatta National Hospital, Duale questioned why patients are given surgery and review dates months away despite the facility having 26 fully equipped theatres and qualified specialists. He alleged that some patients are later approached by intermediaries linked to the same doctors and offered quicker services in private hospitals.
To curb the practice, Duale directed the Digital Health Authority to act against any doctor registered to a public hospital who submits insurance or digital health claims from a private facility during official hours.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki supported the move, accusing some doctors of prioritizing personal financial gain over public service. He said some practitioners use public hospitals to source patients for their private clinics, even when county facilities are better equipped.
Duale also cautioned doctors’ unions against defending the malpractice, warning that continued moonlighting during official hours will attract firm disciplinary action.
During the visit, the CS commissioned the region’s first ICU, featuring a five-bed capacity and two isolation units, alongside a new amenity ward offering enhanced services within the public hospital. The projects are expected to improve critical care services and reduce referrals outside the county.
