The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council has revoked the operating license of Ruai Family Hospital for contravening the rules governing Covid-19 vaccines deployment.
This comes after the Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe directed the council to deregister all facilities charging for Covid-19 vaccination.
According to KMPDC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yumbya, the hospital, which is designated as a Covid-19 Vaccination Centre, has diverted vaccines to other unauthorised premises.
“The hospital diverted vaccines meant for use at the said facility under unclear circumstances to other unauthorized premises, and carried out the vaccination exercises in uncontrolled environment, wherein the quality and efficacy of vaccines cannot be ascertained and thus endangering public safety,” stated the council.
The council has consequently directed the hospital to close immediately and in consultation with patients and relatives organize to transfer all the in-patients to other facilities of their choice within the next 24 hours.
The management has further been directed to appear before the Council’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee today accompanied by all the personnel who have been involved in the handling of Covid-19 vaccines allocated to the Hospital in the last month.
Kagwe said that administration of vaccines should be done by qualified staff who have received recent training from the ministry.
He noted that some health facilities are charging for administering vaccines instead of giving the jab for free.
“…It’s immoral and disturbing to see some politicians have begun to politicise the vaccination process for their own gains. We ask KMPDC to immediately begin to deregister institutions that are charging citizens or conducting the vaccinations unlawfully,” he said.
Additionally, Kagwe cautioned against fake vaccination stations.
“There are those carrying out health camps with stolen vaccines,” he said.
“This is not going to be tolerated. Because it is our own people we are endangering.”
Acting Health Director General Patrick Amoth warned that the illegal vaccine administration may lead to adverse side effects depending on the environment in which they were administered.
“We urge everyone to get vaccines only from designated arear approved by the ministry, otherwise, you will likely get adverse events such as Anaphylaxis (a life threatening allergic reactions). Health workers should ensure fidelity to the oath that they took and should not be swayed by politicians,” he said.