Kenya’s medical regulator, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB) has delisted over 2,000 health workers.
The health workers were deregistered for failing to renew their registration details. The development could badly affect health care delivery in the country.
Doctors in Kenya cannot practice without a license. Those likely to be hit badly would be those in rural areas.
Kenya has a doctor patient ratio of one to 16,000. Doctors and dentists are in short supply in the east African nation.
The World Health Organisation however recommends a minimum of 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people, or 3 doctors for every 20,000 people.
The medical regulator’s decision was made public on Wednesday through an advertisement.
The ad read that “Notice is hereby given to the general public, medical and dental practitioners, health institutions and health sector employees (public and private) that the KMPDB resolved to remove 2,063 medical practitioners and 212 dentists from the register”.
Kenya’s population is 46.6 million but has only 7,433 doctors serving them.
KMPDB chief executive Daniel Yumbya has defended the delisting of the health workers, Daily Nation reports.
Mr. Yumbya is quoted as saying that “We did not take the action out of malice. The doctors and dentists knew about the requirements and were given ample time to comply, but they simply failed to do so without giving us reasons. We have no option but to let the law take its course.”
Source: Africafeeds.com
