Some reports in local media have even revealed cases where quacks have been operating for years in public hospitals under the radar of qualified medics without raising any alarm. Questions on who hired the quacks, how many victims were allegedly treated by the quack doctors and effects of their diagnoses are yet to be answered.
The Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board should step up their game in order to rid hospitals of quacks and punish hospital administrators who allow quacks to practice in their hospitals.
The laws governing licensing of medical practitioners, dentists and other health officers must be repealed to allow tough penalties for quacks and extend to hospital administrators. Section 22 of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act stipulates that a person who is arrested practicing medicine, surgery or dentistry but is not licensed, shall be guilty of an offence that is liable for a fine of up to Sh10,000 or 1 year jail term. This is extremely lenient.
READ MORE
Media told to find alternative ways of raising revenue
Nyakang'o flags counties for soaring pending bills
Produce them dead or alive, kin of Kitengela trio plead with state
The law should be amended to allow for higher fines and should also be extended to any medical practitioner who allow quacks to operate freely without reporting to relevant authorities.
The government through it’s respective organs should put efforts to clear the mess in public hospitals, review the penalties on medical quacks and their accomplices and eradicate medical negligence and promote corruption-free health care. Nora Henritah Mwashida, Taita Taveta.