The tragic death of Lucy Wambui in October 2024, following a cosmetic procedure at Omnicare Medical Limited, operating as Body by Design, has cast a spotlight on the urgent need for stricter oversight in Kenya’s cosmetic surgery and beauty industry. This incident has raised serious concerns about the regulation and safety of aesthetic clinics across the country.
Body by Design marketed itself as a premier destination for cosmetic procedures, offering services such as liposuction, Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBL), breast lifts, and more. However, investigations revealed that the facility was operating without the necessary licenses to perform such surgeries. Registered only as a beauty spa under Omnicare Medical Limited, it lacked authorization to conduct invasive medical procedures.
The situation escalated when Lucy Wambui underwent a body contouring procedure at the clinic on October 16, 2024. She tragically passed away ten days later due to complications arising from surgical perforations. This incident prompted the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to order the immediate closure of Body by Design, citing multiple violations, including: operating without proper licensing, employing unlicensed practitioners, and failing to meet required health and safety standards.
In response to Wambui’s death, the Ministry of Health launched a comprehensive assessment of aesthetic clinics and beauty spas in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Eldoret. The findings were alarming.Out of 26 aesthetic clinics assessed, three were operating illegally without registration, 40% of these clinics lacked essential emergency medical supplies and 25% had inadequate infection prevention and control measures.
Following these revelations, the Ministry directed the KMPDC to shut down all unregistered aesthetic clinics. Beauty and medical spas were also banned from offering or advertising invasive medical procedures unless properly inspected, registered, and licensed.
The Body by Design case exposes a major gap in Kenya’s regulation of cosmetic surgery and beauty services. The booming aesthetic medicine industry has outpaced existing oversight, allowing unlicensed facilities to perform high-risk procedures unchecked. To prevent future tragedies, Kenya must take urgent action in strengthening regulatory frameworks and public awareness.
It is up to the government, medical boards, and the public to demand accountability and ensure that aesthetic clinics operate safely and legally. Strengthening oversight in the cosmetic surgery industry will not only protect lives but also restore trust in a sector that, when properly regulated, can offer safe and transformative services.
