Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, has accused private hospitals of exploiting Kenyans through excessive charges on medicines and scans.
Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, August 26, Oluga revealed that some facilities buy basic drugs cheaply, only to sell them at extortionate rates. He cited the case of Panadol, which hospitals procure for Ksh30 but charge patients up to Ksh1,500.
“The fraud in medical facilities in Kenya is anywhere between 20 and 35 percent. For instance, Panadol costs Ksh30, but some hospitals sell it at Ksh1,500. It happens all the time in the private sector,” he said.
He further highlighted how CT scans priced at Ksh16,000 are billed at over Ksh35,000, calling the practice criminal and exploitative.
“The level of overcharging is unacceptable. Basic healthcare services are being exploited, and it is our duty to ensure citizens are not defrauded,” Oluga added.
According to the PS, the Ministry of Health has already shut down 728 facilities and downgraded 301 others for failing to meet standards, stressing that most offenders are private hospitals.
Oluga also accused some facilities of registering services they do not offer. He explained that certain hospitals present doctors’ and nurses’ credentials to secure registration but later withdraw staff, leaving patients underserved.
The Ministry, in partnership with the Social Health Authority (SHA), has launched nationwide audits to strengthen oversight and curb malpractice. Oluga assured Kenyans that the government is committed to making healthcare affordable, transparent, and accountable.
