Illegal dental clinic closed after botched tooth extraction, manhunt launched for owner

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has shut down three illegal facilities, among them Life Clinic in Nairobi’s Kawangware estate following an alleged botched dental operation.

The crackdown followed a story aired on Citizen TV of a patient who underwent a tooth extraction procedure at Life Clinic that has since left him with a serious medical condition

The quack doctor who operated on the patient is now on the run.

On Friday, KMPDC launched a crackdown on illegal clinics operating in Nairobi’s Kawangware estate. Their first stop was at Life Clinic, where officials found the structure had been repainted and the wanted owner was nowhere to be seen.

Officials left a notice indicating that the facility had been closed for unlawfully engaging the services of a person who is not registered and licensed as a medical practitioner.

The operation then moved to another facility allegedly owned by Lawrence King’atwa within the same area. Both Life Clinic and Jamii Centre are allegedly owned by the same person. In the company of police officers, KMPDC officials forced entry into Jamii Clinic premises.

Inside, they found a patient who had been left unattended and in pain. The patient was rescued, and the facility shut down.

“We have had a crackdown and we have closed down two of his facilities. One of them was repainted, the guy has run away… this is somewhere else where he operates from,” KMPDC Board Member Tim Theuri said.

Citizen TV on Thursday aired a story about a suspected medical negligence at Life Clinic, where Amos Isoka underwent a dental operation that has now left him with a life-threatening condition.

“The condition he suffered is called Ludwig’s angina. After the tooth was removed, he got a swelling. This is a dental condition that can lead to death, and that is why he was speaking with difficulty… The doctors at KNH are working on him in theatre and as we speak wameanza kutoa huo usaha," said Theuri.

Amos is now under special medication at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), with his family reporting positive progress. However, residents have appealed to the government to intensify the regulation of such facilities.

“Anatoa wapi nguvu ya kufungua hospitali na anang’oa watu meno na yeye sio daktari… Waziri wa Afya tembeeni… nyinyi ndiyo mnafaa mtembee na mjue kama hizi hospitali ziko na barua ama hazina… sisi wananchi hatuwezi jua," a resident Selina Akeyo said.

Vivian Wanjala, the wife of the victim, added, "Amos sasa anaendelea vizuri. Alipata infection after kutolewa hiyo meno sasa ika-affect shingo, mgongo, throat plus kifua.”

As of Friday, three such facilities had been shut down in Kawangware, with KMPDC warning of a major crackdown on similar operations.

Authorities have now launched a manhunt for the owner and the fake dental practitioner believed to have exposed Amos to the life-threatening condition.