Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) on Monday, May 8, introduced an SMS short code, 20547, for verifying the license status of health facilities.
The same code can be used for verifying medical, dental practitioners and community oral health officers.
Using a mobile phone, a person can send an SMS to 20547 with the following format: P#Full Name of Practitioner or P#Registration number of the practitioner.
“To verify the status of a health facility, send an SMS to 20547 with the following format: H#Full Name of Facility or H#Registration number of the facility,” read part of the KMPDC statement.
KMPDC also noted that it had published a list of health facilities that are registered and licensed to operate in the country at the council’s official website.
“The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council is a body corporate established under section 3 of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act (CAP Laws of Kenya). The role of the council is to regulate the training, practice and licensing of medicine, dentistry and oral health and to regulate health facilities within the republic of Kenya,” read part of the statement.
KMPDC Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Kariuki stated that the move was aimed at streamlining service delivery in the health sector.
“With the short code, it’s easier and faster to detect genuine or illegal medical practitioners while seeking for services at any medical facility,” Kariuki noted.
He at the same time urged Kenyans to only seek treatment from health facilities that are registered and licensed.
Cases of quacks operating clinics were witnessed in the country in the recent past.
For instance, on March 3, 2023 a fake surgeon was identified at a local hospital in Khwisero, Kakamega County after doctors who worked with him discovered that he was masquerading as a professional healthcare worker.
The man had reported to the hospital with his tools of work but he was exposed after the doctor in charge realised that he had challenges in managing patients.
In another incident, James Mugo Ndichu, popularly known as Mugo Wairimu was on Monday, November 21, 2022 jailed for 29 years and six months after being found guilty of running a medical clinic illegally.
The court had found Mugo guilty of running a medical clinic illegally and practicing medicine without required academic qualifications.
