The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has raised alarm over what it terms rampant unethical practices surrounding the licensing and recruitment of foreign doctors in the country, linking them to organized organ trafficking syndicates.
In a statement issued on Sunday, KMPDU called for an urgent audit and investigation into the continued recruitment of foreign medical practitioners by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) and private healthcare providers.
“We stand against the irresponsible endangering of the lives of every Kenyan citizen and patient who seek care in these private hospitals,” said KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah.
According to the union, more than 1,655 foreign medical practitioners are employed in Kenya, mainly in private hospitals serving wealthy and middle-class clientele in major cities and towns. KMPDU warned that many of these doctors are subjected to poor labor practices that encourage unethical conduct, putting patients’ lives at risk.
“These contracts often exploit the doctors, forcing them to work under dangerous conditions that can lead to systemic mistreatment bordering on labour trafficking,” the statement noted.
The union decried the sidelining of over 4,000 unemployed qualified Kenyan medical practitioners while foreign doctors continue to be hired under questionable circumstances.
“For Kenyan practitioners who remain unemployed after being educated using taxpayers’ money, it is an insult that they are left to struggle, some resorting to selling timber or hawking in the streets to earn a living,” KMPDU stated.
The union further linked the influx of foreign doctors to illegal and unethical organ trafficking practices.
“Today, KMPDU is informing all Kenyans that the now-confirmed illegal, unethical, and dangerous trafficking of organs in the country is directly linked to the non-transparent and dubious licensing and recruitment of foreign medical practitioners,” said Dr. Atellah.
KMPDU expressed support for a recent directive by Health Cabinet Secretary to freeze the licensing of foreign doctors and issued a list of demands, including:
• An audit of all private healthcare institutions’ recruitment and contracting practices,
• Disclosure by the Ministry of Health of skills shortages in Kenya,
• Audits by the Ministry of Labour to ensure compliance with Kenyan and international labor laws,
• Development of a transparent and comprehensive licensing policy that prioritizes local talent,
• Immediate filling of any vacant positions with qualified Kenyan doctors.
“We must act swiftly to safeguard our lives and health,” said Dr. Atellah, warning that political pressure, bribery, and coercion within the KMPDC were enabling undeserving individuals to obtain medical licenses, thereby compromising patient safety.
“The State must not abdicate its solemn duty of guaranteeing every Kenyan the highest attainable healthcare, as enshrined in Article 43 of our Constitution,” he added.
KMPDU vowed to continue advocating for a healthcare system that is just, equitable, and accessible, warning that failure to act would risk further erosion of Kenya’s medical integrity.