The Ministry of Health has announced a nationwide crackdown on clinics offering plastic surgery procedures without proper licensing or adherence to safety standards.
This decision follows the death of Lucy Wambui, a woman who reportedly experienced severe complications after undergoing a cosmetic procedure at a Nairobi clinic Omnicare, operating as Body By Design.
The facility, now closed by the ministry, is alleged to have failed to meet essential medical protocols.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni confirmed that the clinic failed to meet safety standards.
“It was also discovered that the facility was operating under substandard medical conditions and failing to meet critical patient safety regulations, thereby compromising the safety and well-being of any patient going to the facility,” Muthoni stated.
The clinic, through its lawyer Danstan Omari, insists it is a fully registered medical facility and has maintained all necessary medical licenses over nearly a decade of operation.
“It is a registered medical facility, level 3, with all the requisite medical licenses and practising doctors’ certificates. It has been in operation for almost 10 years,” Omari told the press.
According to Body By Design, Wambui was initially scheduled for discharge on October 17th following the procedure but stayed until October 22nd after reporting chest pains.
Later that day, she left the facility and eventually sought treatment at Nairobi Hospital, where she passed away on October 26th while undergoing an additional procedure.
The clinic denies any wrongdoing.
“The autopsy was conducted with both the government and family pathologists, but they did not agree on the exact cause,” Omari added, noting that “perforations were found, which could be caused by many factors.”
Wambui’s family, however, maintains that she was admitted to Nairobi Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit due to complications from the surgery at Body By Design, which they allege was botched.
The Ministry of Health has issued a warning to unlicensed or non-compliant beauty clinics.
“We want to give a warning to other facilities that are operating with substandard medical conditions—they should close before we force them to close,” Principal Secretary Muthoni said.
