MPs to deny Health ministry funds

A parliamentary committee has vowed not to approve any budget for the Ministry of Health until questions surrounding the Sh24 billion procurement deal for the purchase of health promoters kits are addressed.

The National Assembly’s Health committee wants the two principal secretaries in the ministry—Mary Muthoni (Public Health and Professional Standards) and Harry Kimtai (Medical Services) to appear before it and explain whether Kenyans got value for money in the deal.

In a meeting with Ms Muthoni on Tuesday over the implementation status of the community health promoters (CHPs) programme, the committee chaired by Endebes MP Robert Pukose said they are not satisfied with answers so far provided by the ministry regarding the deal.

“We are not satisfied with answers; we are going for recess and will resume in mid-January over this matter,” Dr Pukose said.

An attempt by Ms Muthoni to withdraw a document on the deal before the committee for not having adequate answers was rejected.

“No, you cannot withdraw it, you have signed it and it is now a parliamentary document,” said Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli.

Ms Muthoni told the committee that the programme was yet to be fully transferred to her docket from the Department of Medical Services where it was first domiciled. But the committee also said it needs answers on how the programme was transferred.

Documents tabled before the committee indicate that the government, through the ministry, entered into a contract with Surgimed Medical Supplies Co. Ltd, a Chinese firm on September 13, 2023 to supply CHP kits, consumables and medicine supplies.

The supplies are to be done over three years. In the first year, the company was to supply kits worth Sh3.88 billion and consumables such as glucometer test strips at a cost of Sh2.97billion. In the second year, the supplies are expected to cost Sh3.18 billion and in the third year Sh3. 56 billion. The medicine supplies were to cost Sh3.3 billion in the first year, Sh3.6 billion in the second and Sh3.9 billion in the third year.

In total, taxpayers were to pay Sh10.2 billion in the first year, Sh6.8 billion in the second year and Sh7.6 billion the final year.

Ms Muthoni told MPs that the kits were supposed to be delivered to county headquarters for counties to then do in-county distribution to CHPs.

She said the ministry received 100,000 kits on September 22, 2023 from Harmony Vibrant International Kenya on behalf of Surgimed Medical Supplies. According to documents before the committee, on the same day, the ministry also received medicines that were also delivered to counties.

It also emerged that some CHPs have not received payment since June this year. The committee was further shocked to learn that the ministry has continued to pay some CHPs who have since died

Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge pointed out that in Nyeri, for instance, four CHPs who died have been “receiving” payment from the ministry since June.

“There are 35 community health promoters that have never received a stipend from the ministry, while four passed on in May but were paid in June. It seems like we have a problem in terms of numbers from counties,” Mr Mathenge said.

Ms Muthoni, however, said the ministry only pays according to the list provided by counties.

“I will write to Nyeri to confirm their list. I have also written to counties to tell us about people that have exited so that we don’t continue paying them,” she said.

The move by the committee now puts President William Ruto’s attainment of universal health coverage through the community health promoters in doubt.