The Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) has cautioned that the financial struggles facing the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) could derail the Ministry of Health’s plan to digitize and improve efficiency in the healthcare system.
In a statement, the Association warned that as of now, KMPDC does not have the manpower or the internal structures to regulate health facilities across the country.
This reason, according to them, has led to increased fraud in the Social Health Authority (SHA).
RUPHA warns KMPDC cash crisis could derail health digitisation plans. Photo: Courtesy.
KMPDC is mandated with the responsibility to regulate the training and practice of medicine and dentistry in the country through licensing and registering medical and dental practitioners.
It’s moreover mandated to accrediting training and health institutions, setting professional and ethical standards, and inspecting healthcare facilities in the country.
However, according to RUPHA, the recurrent budget cuts the council has suffered over the years have prompted it to rely more on counties rather than its own capacity, as per the constitution.
This factor, according to RUPHA, has in turn led to the council “selling” licences to bogus facilities.
RUPHA revealed that despite the ministry affirming that it is ensuring the rapid digitisation of the healthcare sector, the dream is far from materialising.
The Association further alleges that bank accounts used by the lead partner in the digitisation project were migrated directly from NHIFdatabase without proper clean-up, raising fears that fraudulent facilities remain in the system.
