Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union officials, led by secretary general Dr Davji Atellah, issued a press statement on Thursday, January 8, 2026. /KMPDU
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union has condemned what it describes as the importation of ‘poorly paid’ foreign doctors at the expense of qualified Kenyan medics, warning that the practice amounts to an abuse of existing regulatory frameworks.
Kenya allows the recruitment of foreign doctors under provisions regulated by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) Act of 2019.
The policy is intended strictly to address critical skills gaps in specialised areas where expertise is not available locally.
However, KMPDU secretary general Davji Atellah said that while the licensing of foreign doctors is legal, some private hospitals are exploiting the process by importing ‘low-paid foreign medics’ and sidelining local doctors who meet the required qualifications.
He said the facilities in question are onboarding foreign doctors in blatant disregard of the agreed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) wages, as well as labour and immigration laws.
“What they do is that they get these doctors from India, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Pakistan and pay them wages that cannot even fuel anyone’s car per month,” Atella said.
After recruitment, Atellah alleged, the same hospitals subject the doctors to excessive and unrealistic demands.
“And in this way, they leave out Kenyan doctors who have been trained using taxpayers’ money, then subject foreign doctors to low-wage locums in a manner that disregards KMPDC rates. That is why we are demanding that all these hospitals must employ doctors—whether foreign or Kenyan—on the correct wages agreed in the CBA,” he said.
The union said it supports the government’s policy to limit the importation of foreign medics, arguing that it will protect both local doctors and foreign practitioners from exploitation.
On January 7, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that Kenya will stop renewing licences for foreign doctors, allowing overseas practitioners to work only in specialised fields where no local expertise exists.
“We have also learnt that some doctors who have been licensed do not have work permits, yet they are operating in hospitals and offering services. That becomes a serious problem,” Atellah said.
He warned that the practice strips doctors of their dignity and leaves them vulnerable to manipulation.
While issuing the policy statement, Duale said the Ministry of Health will prioritise the licensing and deployment of qualified Kenyan health practitioners before considering the routine licensing of foreign doctors and other health professionals.
He noted that the government has invested substantial public resources in training doctors, nurses, clinical officers and specialists, and that it is both prudent and fair to ensure Kenyans trained using public funds are given priority to serve the country.
“The ministry will continue to exercise discretion by reviewing applications for foreign practitioners on a case-by-case basis, strictly guided by national interest. Priority will only be given where there is a demonstrable skills gap,” Duale said.
He added that the policy is grounded in international best practice and aligns with the requirements of global bodies such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The ministry wishes to emphasise that this policy does not apply to countries within the East African Community region,” Duale said, citing Kenya’s commitment to regional integration and reciprocal agreements that allow regulated professional mobility among EAC partner states.