Dentists Council defends foreign doctors' licensing amid ethical concerns

Davji Atellah lead other officials to address the media after meeting Health CS Aden Duale on April 10, 2025 [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has defended its licensing of foreign doctors, insisting the process is lawful and conducted with strict diligence.

KMPDC Chief Executive Officer David Kariuki, addressing growing public concern, said the council thoroughly vets all foreign medical practitioners before granting licenses.

“We wish to reassure the public and all stakeholders that the licensing process is carried out with the highest level of due diligence to uphold patient safety and maintain the standards of care expected in Kenya’s healthcare system,” said Kariuki.

“As the regulatory body mandated to oversee the training, licensing, and practice of medical and dental professionals, KMPDC is committed to ensuring the highest standards of healthcare delivery and patient safety,” he added.

According to the council, the licensing of foreign doctors is guided by Section 6(5) of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (2019) and the Medical Practitioners and Dentists (Inspections and Licensing) Rules (2022), which outline the required qualifications and standards.

Kariuki also revealed that KMPDC is auditing all licensed foreign practitioners following a directive by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.

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“Upon completion, the council will release a detailed report within 90 days to provide transparency and address any concerns regarding the licensing process,” he said.

Kariuki’s remarks follow sharp criticism from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which has demanded an investigation into the recruitment of foreign doctors amid rising concerns over unethical practices and alleged organ trafficking.

On Sunday, KMPDU Secretary General Atellah Davji endorsed Duale’s directive to halt the licensing of foreign medical personnel.

“We fully support the directive by the CS to halt the licensing of foreign doctors. The lives of Kenyans cannot continue to be gambled with in a profit-driven circus that undermines both patient safety and the dignity of our local medical practitioners,” said Davji.

The union claimed that over 1,600 foreign doctors, mostly employed in private hospitals, have been recruited through irregular processes that bypass proper regulation.

“For Kenyan practitioners who remain unemployed after being educated using taxpayers' money, it is an insult that they are left to struggle, with some resorting to selling timber or hawking in the streets to earn a living,” the union said.

KMPDU further alleged that unethical recruitment has led to exploitative working conditions and dangerous practices, including confirmed cases of organ trafficking. They accused private hospitals of hiring foreign doctors through opaque channels, worsening an already strained healthcare system