How To Start A Clinic in Kenya- Full Details

Health is one of the essential services in Kenya and is among the most under-served. There are very few health facilities in Kenya while many of the available ones do not have health equipment and enough doctors.

The ratio for doctor to patients is wanting and needs to be addressed. The demand for health services is high and there is need to bridge the gap

Starting a clinic is a noble idea and you can grow a profession in it.

Health is wealth, which is why as humans we would always want to be in good health. Those who for one reason or the other have found themselves bed ridden, so wish that they could get back to their feet to pursue their dreams, hopes and aspirations.

Looking at the medical profession, you may want to agree with me that enrolling to study as a medical doctor for instance and then later on emerging successful at the end of the years of study may not be an easy task.

This is because of the several amount of money that is needed to study these courses and the fact that doctors aren’t even paid as well as they would love to.

Consequently, after one may have emerged successfully and have worked to garner some hands-on knowledge, the next thing that just may crop up on the minds of these individuals may be to own a health clinic.

Owning a health clinic sure does require some good amount of money; however that is not to say that the returns on investment aren’t a rewarding one.

As a matter of fact, there is ample opportunity to make profit when one starts a health clinic.

So, if you are in the medical professional, and are looking to start a business like this, then you may want to take the following tips seriously.

*1. Market Survey is Key*

Even though that you may or may not have background knowledge of what setting up a health clinic is all about, it would still be very vital that you do a market survey.

What does this survey entail you may ask?

It simply means that all vital information has to be researched upon. Like how much it costs to start a health clinic, the registration processes, licensing, how many employees to start with and what have you.

Do ensure that all these are tackled so that you would be starting armed with loads of information.

*2. Determine the Type of Clinic to Start*

You have got to determine from the outset the type of clinic you want to run. Would it be a general clinic, or would there be consultants on ground to man core areas. Consultants like; pediatricians, orthopedists, surgeons, dentists, amongst others.

This step is very vital because once you are able to determine the area of specialty then you can then channel a lot of focus to see that things work as planned.

*3. Get Trained*

The training that you need may not only be in the area of medicine. You also need to go and get some business training.

This is important so that you are able to grasp some foundational knowledge on how a business is run. Accounting and what have you.

You also need to be a trained doctor to run a health clinic. You may consider enrolling for a course in medicine if you are really bent on starting a health clinic.

If you do not have background knowledge in medicine or do not have the luxury of time to go back to school, then you may look at hiring a doctor to help you man core areas while you see to other aspects of the business.

*4. Draw up a Business Plan*

A business plan is one of the very important things that you must work at putting in place. Why is this important, you may ask?

This is important because all the information on how you want your business to be must be contained in this template.

If you do not understand how things work here, then you may consider getting a template from the internet. Otherwise, you are required to hire the services of a professional business plan writer.

More often than not these people are consultants who help people proffer solutions on how to run their businesses right.

*5. Register Your Business*

It is mandatory to register a business in Kenya and especially a health clinic. Register your clinic with medical practitioners and dentists board before starting operations.

Otherwise, you may have problems registering it once you have commenced operations. It costs Ksh.1,000 application fee and Ksh.5,000 registration fee.

You must meet the following requirements to open a clinic in Kenya.

*Business registration certificate

*Inspection report from a qualified medical personnel

*Form IX duly signed by a medical officer

*Make a payment of the relevant fees

*Architectural plans of the building in case of a hospital

*6. Get a License*

Once you have registered your clinic, you can go ahead to obtain licenses. To do so, you need to provide business registration certificate. An official will be sent to inspect your premises and ascertain that it complies with health requirements.

You will then be issued with a license if you have complied. There is a renewal fee for the medical practitioners and dentists license costing Ksh.10,000 every year.

*7. Get Partners*

This might be especially important if you do not have a medical background. You would therefore need people who already are on this path to help boost things. On the other hands, even if you are in the medical line, you may think to get partners regarding funding, amongst others.

*8. Get a Facility*

Now is a good time to rent a facility. If on the other hand you have got the funds to out rightly buy up a property, then that would be a great step to take.

If you are looking to rent be sure to tell your potential landlord for what purpose you need a facility and how you want it to look like.

Remember you would require patients’ wards, administrative offices, injection rooms and others.

The cost of starting a clinic in Kenya depends with the size, services to offer, business location and number of employees to hire. To start a small general clinic, you will need at least Ksh.250,000.

The startup capital will go into hiring premises, hiring staff, installing equipment, buying drugs, registering and obtaining licenses.

*9. Hire Employees*

There is no room for trial and error; as such you would need to employ workers who have experience. This is imperative because you need those with hands- on experiences to help boost your business.

When you conduct interviews, do ensure that you get other professionals on the board as interviewees so that they can also help in the screening exercise. You would need nurses, doctors, office administrators and all what not.

*10. Start Operation*

Once you begin operation, then you can begin to advertise your business. You can print flyers and brochures to give to people around the neighborhood. Or you can begin to tell corporate organizations about your new business and how they could send their employees there under health insurance scheme.

Also, make sure that you are friendly to patients. Patients prefer to visit health facilities where they are handled properly.

*Final Word*

As we always tell you, there’s no marathon race that has ever been won by those who did not start the race. If you like the idea discussed above and you have what it takes to actualize it…then don’t wait to start…just do it.

By

Timothy Angwenyi
Business Consultant

Justine Nyachieo
Business Man & Mentor

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