Nearly 90 per cent of health facilities in Nairobi are operating illegally, a report has revealed.
Health Executive Mohamed Dagane made the startling announcement on Tuesday after Dandora 4 MCA Francis Ngesa raised concerns over the mushrooming of illegal clinics in the county.
The report by the County Health Services Committee showed that out of 9,043 registered health facilities – including hospitals – City Hall had issued licenses to only 1,079 facilities by the end of last month.
Mr Ngesa had sought to know why unlicensed facilities were allowed to operate despite being accused of putting patients’ lives in peril through misdiagnosis of ailments.
Mr Dagane said the county was in the process of closing down the illegal health facilities to ensure patients got quality health care services. He said standalone pharmacies, laboratory and radiology services were regulated separately.
“Public health officers are currently on the ground verifying the facilities without valid licences by using an updated list and they are taking corrective measures in terms of compliance,” stated the report prepared by the health department.
The health boss said the county had partnered with the Health ministry and all regulatory bodies and conducted a crackdown on health facilities between December 5 and 7 last year, where 147 facilities were inspected.
“We have trained five health inspectors who will be gazetted. They will be mandated to inspect all facilities to enhance patients’ safety and care,” said Dagane.