The Senate is taking a firm stand against public health workers who leave patients unattended in government hospitals to attend to their private clinics, in what senators have described as a major threat to the country’s healthcare system.

Senators have urged the national government and health sector regulators to take decisive disciplinary steps against the county-employed medical staff engaging in dual practice during official working hours, saying the habit is unethical and endangers patients who rely on public facilities.

Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda said, “The state of healthcare service delivery in counties is deteriorating due to public medical practitioners concurrently engaging in private practice.”

The Senate Health Committee has now begun investigations into the issue and resolved to summon all the key regulatory agencies to explain what actions have been taken so far and to provide relevant data.

The committee wants a detailed account of all licensed doctors, pharmacists, and clinical officers in Kenya, including a specific breakdown of those working for county governments.

The information will be sourced from the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, the Clinical Officers Council, and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.

Additionally, the senators are demanding a full list of private clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals run by practitioners who are also on the county governments’ payroll.

The committee has further asked for details on what safeguards exist to stop public health workers from running private businesses during hours they are supposed to be serving in public facilities.

They also want to know whether any disciplinary action has ever been taken against those found to be in breach of professional conduct or involved in conflict of interest through unapproved private work.

This push comes after the Senate tabled a report exposing serious gaps in the country’s public health sector.

The findings painted a grim picture, with widespread medicine stockouts, expired drugs, critical staff shortages, stalled construction projects, and broken-down hospital equipment.

Some public hospitals were found lacking even the most basic items, including curtains needed for patient privacy, particularly in maternity wards. Others faced poor water and power supply, exposing patients to further risks due to bad sanitation.

“The committee noted that most facilities lacked adequate staffing in critical departments, with high workloads compounding the crisis,” the report states.

The committee visited several hospitals during its assessment, including Longisa County Referral Hospital in Bomet, Nyamira County Referral Hospital, Ekerenyo Subcounty Hospital, and Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. Other facilities included Kenyenya Subcounty Hospital in Kisii, Vihiga County Referral Hospital, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, and Ahero Subcounty Hospital in Kisumu.

At Longisa Hospital, the committee found an overstretched maternity ward where women were forced to share beds due to limited capacity. “During the visit, 46 patients were admitted against a bed capacity of 39, highlighting the urgent need for additional beds and personnel,” the report noted.

Hospital officials said the ward was originally designed to hold only 16 patients but now hosts as many as 120. It operates with just 12 nurses, two gynaecologists, four medical officers, two interns and 10 clinical officers. Only two doctors and three nurses are available per shift.

The Senate Health Committee is expected to intensify pressure on regulators and county governments to take responsibility and ensure that public health workers serve the public first before running private businesses.