The Kenya Health Professions Oversight Authority (KHPOA) has vowed to ensure that the health sector is run in a professional and ethical manner devoid of quacks.
KHPOA chairman Dr Amit Thakker said that they will work to ensure adherence to good governance in health service delivery by providing oversight on regulation, maintenance of standards and quality services.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday during a consultative meeting to address gaps in the health care system, Dr Thakker said that quality health care ensures that the population is healthy and able to contribute to productivity and socio-economic development of the country.
“We will work to improve the conduct and ethical practice of health professionals in public and private institutions to ensure that all citizens receive the highest standards of health,” said Dr Thakker.
He said that they will be conducting impromptu visits to hospitals and training facilities for doctors to check on the qualifications of the health practitioners and the trainers, a move which will help get rid of quacks in the sector.
“The health regulatory boards and council will be required to enforce compliance to the respective codes of professional conduct and ethical practice,” said Thakker.
He explained that KHPOA’s mandate is to provide oversight in health care services which include training, registration, and licensing of health professionals, coordination of joint health inspection, receiving and facilitating resolution of complaints and arbitrating disputes and conflicts, ensuring compliance of health professionals standards and monitoring execution of respective mandates and functions of health regulatory bodies.
Dr Thakker said KHPOA aspires to provide effective and responsive oversight in the regulation of healthcare services, health professions, and statutory regulation of healthcare and resolution of complaints for progressive fulfilment of the right to the highest attainable standard of health which include right to health care service.
“In an effort to implement the constitution, the ministry of health embarked on the enactment of the health Act which became effective on 20th September 2017,” Dr Thakker said.
Dr Thakker said that the Act has brought together several health-related laws to facilitate the implementation of the health policy and to address gaps in the health sector including human resource management, UHC, emergency health care, service delivery and regulation of health products and technologies.
He noted that over the past seven years the Ministry of Health has embarked on systems and structures to improve overall health care in the country while adding that it is dedicated to moving ahead and transforming health so that Kenyans can enjoy affordable and equitable health care.
The Chair announced that one of the structures and systems under KHPOA through the collaboration of stakeholders was to ensure that the Health Act of 2017 which is a legal document in framework is formulated and had a few institutions that are established to improve the quality of health in the country.
“The authority’s mandate is aligned to the Kenya Vision 2030 which aims to transform Kenya into an industrialised, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to its citizens,” said the chair.
Additionally, KHPOA commits to resolve complaints referred to it by health institutions or any appeal by aggrieved persons or parties since any person has right to file a complaint about the manner in which he or she was treated at a health facility and have the complaint investigated appropriately.
“If a health facility or regulatory body fails to resolve a complaint to the satisfaction of the complaint, the authority shall take necessary action,” he stated.
By Billy Sabari and Sharon Atieno
