Kajiado: NACADA Closes Non-Compliant Rehab Centre Amid Nationwide Crackdown
- NACADA shut down Better Me Options Rehabilitation Centre in Birikani, Kajiado East, on Wednesday, May 28
- The facility was found operating without qualified medical staff, lacked clean running water, and had isolation rooms deemed "unfit for human habitation"
- The closure forms part of NACADA’s intensified nationwide crackdown on unaccredited and poorly maintained rehabilitation centres
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TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
A rehabilitation centre meant to heal instead became a health hazard, and now it's been shut down.
Source: UGC
On Wednesday, May 28, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) shut down the Better Me Options Rehabilitation Centre in Birikani, Kajiado East, after a surprise inspection revealed serious violations of operational standards.
The operation, carried out by a multi-agency team involving NACADA’s compliance and enforcement unit and public health officers, uncovered disturbing conditions that posed serious risks to clients.
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The centre had ignored corrective measures recommended in a previous assessment and continued to flout key health and safety regulations.
Among the most alarming issues were poor medical waste disposal, absence of qualified medical personnel, and no access to clean running water in the patient washrooms.
Why did NACADA close Better Me Options Rehabilitation Centre?
Inspectors described the isolation rooms as “unfit for human habitation,” pointing to peeling paint, broken window panes, and neglected maintenance.
Further concerns arose over reports that clients were being retained beyond the recommended treatment periods without proper clinical reviews or notifying their families.
“Today’s operation makes it clear that we will not accept facilities that undermine the recovery process of vulnerable Kenyans,” said NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa, who approved the raid.
“Our enforcement efforts focus not on punishment, but on safeguarding lives and making sure every rehabilitation centre provides the quality care that clients urgently require and deserve,” he added.
The facility has been issued with an immediate "notice not to use" order and must fully address the violations before it can be considered for reopening.
A coordinated effort is underway to transfer current clients to accredited centres, with families involved in the process to ensure proper continuity of care.
The shutdown is part of NACADA’s nationwide quality assurance drive, which aims to eliminate unaccredited and substandard rehab centres across the country.
The authority has stepped up surveillance and inspections to enforce adherence to regulations.
“As we step up these operations across the country, we are warning all non-compliant facilities,” Omerikwa stated. “The time for poor-quality rehabilitation services in Kenya has come to an end.”
NACADA encouraged the public to report questionable practices in rehabilitation centres through its toll-free line 1192, as the crackdown continues in all counties.
Source: UGC
NACADA shuts down Ahadi Rehab Centre
In a related story, NACADA closed Ahadi Rehabilitation Centre in Githunguri, Kiambu, after a surprise inspection exposed appalling conditions.
Patients were found living in filthy, overcrowded dormitories with no medical care or supervision, and the facility failed to meet health and safety standards.
Omerikwa condemned the centre as criminal exploitation of vulnerable Kenyans.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
