Nairobi: A new legislative proposal spearheaded by Nyeri Central MP Duncan Maina is aiming to amend the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, Cap 253, to enhance the regulation of community health officers, dentists, and optometrists. The Medical Practitioners and Dentists (Amendment) Bill 2026 seeks to address the fraudulent procurement of registration licenses by practitioners and impose strict penalties.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Bill proposes severe consequences for individuals practicing medicine or dentistry without proper registration. Offenders could face fines of up to five million shillings or imprisonment for up to five years, or both. Article 22(4) further stipulates that health institutions knowingly engaging unregistered practitioners could face fines up to Sh 10 million.
The proposed legislation outlines offenses for those producing fraudulent representations as medical professionals, with penalties mirroring those for unregistered practice. Moreover, operating an unregistered health institution could result in a fine of up to ten million shillings or a five-year imprisonment term.
The Bill also addresses unethical practices such as detaining patients over unpaid medical bills with similar penalties. It introduces the Medical and Dental Council of Kenya as a platform for patients dissatisfied with healthcare services to lodge formal complaints.
The Council would have the authority to conduct inquiries, offer the accused a chance for representation, and issue written reprimands or warnings. In serious cases of rights infringement, the Council may suspend or cancel a health institution’s license for up to 12 months or permanently remove a practitioner’s name from its register.
The Kenya Dental Association highlights the scarcity of dental professionals, with fewer than 800 active dentists, despite the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council reporting between 1,400 and 1,500 registered practitioners. The World Health Organization recommends one dentist per 7,000 patients, a target Kenya struggles to meet.
The Optometrists Association of Kenya indicates that slightly over 300 optometrists serve the nation, with only 1.6 million out of 7.5 million Kenyans needing eye care having access to these specialists. The Kenya National Eye Health Strategic Plan (2020-2025) notes that over 80% of blindness in Kenya stems from preventable or curable causes, with conditions like glaucoma and cataracts on the rise.
The scarcity of qualified healthcare professionals and the rising prevalence of eye diseases underscore the urgent need for the proposed legislative changes.
