FIDA Demands Arrest, Prosecution Of Doctor Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Dialysis Patient

The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of a doctor accused of sexually assaulting a female dialysis patient at Pandya Memorial Hospital in Mombasa.

According to the victim’s police statement, the doctor allegedly harassed her over an extended period, engaging in unconsented sexual conversations, groping, and eventually rape during early morning dialysis sessions. Despite reporting the incidents to the hospital’s management, no action was taken, allowing the abuse to continue from late 2024 into 2025.

In a statement, FIDA-Kenya expressed outrage over the hospital’s failure to act, describing it as gross negligence that enabled the crime. The organization is now demanding that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) not only prosecute the doctor but also investigate hospital staff who allegedly knew about the assault but failed to intervene.

Additionally, FIDA-Kenya is urging the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) to suspend the licenses of all implicated individuals pending investigations. If found guilty, FIDA insists the doctor and nurses involved should be deregistered.

Beyond criminal proceedings, FIDA-Kenya plans to file a civil lawsuit against Pandya Memorial Hospital for gross negligence and failure to protect the victim. The organization will also submit official complaints to the Mombasa Health Department, KMPDC, NCK, and the Ministry of Health within five days, demanding policy changes to protect patients from abuse.

Citing multiple legal provisions, FIDA-Kenya insists the alleged crime warrants severe penalties, including:

• Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act (2006) – which carries a minimum 10-year sentence, extendable to life imprisonment for rape.
• Cap 63 of the Penal Code – which allows for charges of neglect of duty and complicity against the hospital management.
• The Health Act (2017) and Cap 253 (Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act) – which permit regulatory action, including the revocation of licenses for health facilities that fail to ensure patient safety.
• Cap 257 (Nurses Act) – which outlines disciplinary measures for professional misconduct.

FIDA-Kenya has vowed to pursue justice for the victim while advocating for stricter regulations to prevent similar abuses in healthcare settings.