Health professionals practising without valid licences have until November 30 to comply or be deregistered.
In a public notice, the Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority has warned that health professionals who fail to comply will not be eligible to practise in the country beginning December 1.
KHPOA chief executive Jackson Kioko said providing health services without a valid practice licence violates ethical principles governing the health profession and poses significant risks to the health and welfare of individuals seeking services.
“No health professional will be eligible to practise in the country whose name is not included in the respective professional registers and that he or she does not have a valid practice licence effective December 1, 2023,” he said.
Kioko called on the public to remain vigilant and cautious when seeking healthcare services, and to do so from health professionals and facilities that are registered and licensed accordingly.
“We encourage the public to report any concerns on noncompliance or malpractice in service delivery to the respective regulatory body of the authority,” Kioko said.
“All health professionals must remain accountable and recognise the gravity of their actions and take immediate steps to comply with regulatory requirements governing their practice.”
Kioko said the health and well-being of the public should always remain a top priority.
The CEO said compliance with approved standards and regulations is essential in maintaining trust towards the attainment of the highest quality of care in the country.
Kenyans can verify whether a health facility, a doctor or a community oral health officer attending to you has been licensed to operate through an SMS short code, 20547.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council introduced the short code this year.
To verify the status of a practitioner, send an SMS to the short code in the format P# followed by the full name of the practitioner or P# followed by the registration number of the practitioner.
To verify the licensure of a health facility, send an SMS to 20547 in the format H# followed by the full name of the facility or H# followed by the registration number of the facility.
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