Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has instructed the Clinical Officers Council (COC) to reinspect all health facilities to ascertain that clinical officers working in hospitals are licensed.
Duale issued the instruction to the council during a meeting held at Afya House on Wednesday, April 23.
He explained that the inspection will ensure that Kenyans are protected from being treated by individuals who are not qualified and licensed.
On the other hand, he instructed the council to ensure that it does not licence individuals who have graduated from schools that have not been approved.
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“Do not license any clinical officer trained in an institution that has not been duly merited, inspected, and audited by the Council," he instructed.
"To reinforce accountability, the CS instructed the Council to undertake a comprehensive re-inspection of all licensed health facilities and submit detailed reports to the Ministry. He also called for the full digitization of COC systems in alignment with the Ministry’s Digital Health Strategy and the Digital Health Agency, to facilitate real-time oversight and eliminate malpractice." the Ministry of Health added in a statement.
Notably, Duale issued the directive a day after he also warned against the accreditation of health facilities that do not meet the required standards.
As a result, he warned registration officers at the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) of disciplinary action if they are found to have registered non-compliant facilities.
"During his maiden visit to KMPDC offices in Nairobi today, Hon. Duale called on the Council to uphold integrity, transparency, and service to the public as stipulated under Section 33(2) of the 2023 Social Health Insurance Act," the Ministry of Health noted in its statement.
"He emphasized the Council’s pivotal role in ensuring all Kenyans, regardless of age or economic status, can access safe, quality healthcare delivered by qualified professionals."
