Reports by The Standard have revealed that Dr Nayana Patel, a well-known but highly controversial fertility specialist, has started operating a clinic in Nairobi under the name Nulife Advanced Fertility Centre. This has raised many questions, especially because Dr Patel has faced multiple malpractice allegations in India.
Despite these serious issues, she has been allowed to open and run a fertility clinic in Kenya. Her past includes at least six documented cases of medical malpractice, and she has been accused of exploiting poor women through commercial surrogacy in her home country.
The fact that someone with such a history can practice in Kenya without any clear oversight has shocked many people.Dr Patel first gained attention in India for creating a surrogacy empire in the small town of Anand.
She housed up to 100 surrogate mothers at a time, most of them poor women who lived in a dormitory within her clinic during their pregnancies. She claimed that the program was empowering these women by giving them a chance to earn money, but many critics disagreed.
Human rights activists, medical experts, and the media have accused her of turning women’s bodies into commercial tools to benefit wealthy clients from countries like the US, Canada, Japan, and the UK.
A recent documentary captured stories from some of these women, including Papiya and Vasanti, who explained how they were using the money to support their families, but also shared the emotional and physical struggles they went through.
Lynne Ngugi also highlighted this issue, drawing attention to how dangerous it is to allow a doctor with such a background to practice freely in Kenya. She questioned the oversight of health authorities and expressed concern over how the country’s weak regulatory systems could be taken advantage of.
Lynne’s warning joins growing calls for the government to review how foreign medical professionals are approved to work in Kenya, especially in delicate areas like fertility treatment. Many Kenyans have also taken to social media to express their anger.
Medical experts and organizations in Kenya have voiced strong opposition. Dr Davji Atellah from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union said that without proper checks, Kenya could easily become a dumping ground for foreign doctors facing legal or ethical issues elsewhere. He stressed that allowing such people to practice undermines the country’s healthcare system. Dr Kireki Omanwa, the President of the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society, went further and stated that Dr Patel is not even registered to practice in Kenya, and anything she does is illegal and criminal.
He vowed to defend the integrity of the reproductive health sector and warned companies not to take advantage of loopholes in the system.
The concern here is not just about one doctor. It’s about what Kenya allows and how it protects its people. If someone with a controversial past can open a clinic without much trouble, what does that say about the country’s health regulations? Many are now calling for the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council and the Ministry of Health to wake up and act. Otherwise, this could open the door for more questionable practices and put the lives and rights of vulnerable women at risk.
Dr Patel’s case is a clear example of how poor oversight and weak enforcement can threaten not just medical standards but also human dignity.
