Prof George Magoha, the long-serving chairman of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, has finally been replaced.
He was succeeded by diabetes specialist Dr Eva Njenga, who has been serving as a KMPDB member.
Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki appointed Dr Njenga to serve as the interim chair for rest of Prof Magoha's term.
"The term ends in October this year," the CS told the Star.
Prof Magoha has chaired the board since November 2010.
KMPDB regulates the medical and dental practice in Kenya. It is led by a board that comprises 15 members.
Prof Magoha's replacement comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him the Education Cabinet Secretary last month.
He is still is the chairman of the Kenya National Examinations Council but is expected to nominate his successor.
He has chaired the examiner's board since 2016.
At KMPDB, Prof Magoha's last major assignment was reducing the professional fees charged by doctors, which are regulated by the board.
The exercise was opposed by doctors but embraced by civil society and the Parliament.
The incoming chair, Dr Njenga, also has a long CV and brings to the board a wealth of more than 18 years of medical practice.
She holds a a degree in medicine from the University of Nairobi, and several certificates from different universities including Harvard.
She has formerly worked at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nakuru Provincial Hospital and Joslin Diabetes Centre in USA.
Currently, she practises privately as an endocrinologist, a speciality that deals with diagnosing and treating hormone imbalances in the body.
The common diseases and disorders that endocrinologists deal with include diabetes mellitus and thyroid disorders.
Dr Eva also serves as a World Health Organisation expert in essential medicine committee since 2013.
She is a founder member and director of Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre, Kenya Diabetes Study Group and is lead doctor at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Centre.
