GOVERNMENT INTENSIFIES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL HEALTH FACILITIES

The Ministry of Health has intensified a nationwide crackdown on illegal and ghost health facilities to weed out irregularities in the implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA) and restore accountability in the healthcare system. Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale said the crackdown also targets substandard health facilities, announcing the closure of over 1,000 clinics across the country. He added that an additional 1,000 facilities have been flagged and were set to be shut down in the coming month. Speaking at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu, Duale said the Ministry has also launched a strict enforcement campaign targeting facilities that operate without proper classification, equipment, or trained personnel. The move, he said, targets to eliminate substandard and ghost health facilities that defraud Kenyans through fake claims and unqualified service delivery.