Senators question billions in Health Ministry budget as audit calls intensify

In a heated parliamentary session on Tuesday, Senators have called for a comprehensive audit and restructuring of the Ministry of Health's multi-billion-shilling budget, citing concerns over mismanagement, wasteful spending, and questionable allocations.

Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa, along with Principal Secretaries Harry Kimutai (Medical Services) and Mary Muthoni (Public Health), faced intense scrutiny from lawmakers demanding the immediate release of Sh3.4 billion to hire over 8,000 universal health coverage workers.

Nominated Senator Mariam Omar highlighted the issue of overlapping allocations, pointing out that Sh990 million was earmarked for health facilities and an additional KSh29 billion for county-level projects

 "There is a vote of D1082, which comprises KSh29 billion for county projects which the state department is undertaking," she said.

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina expressed frustration over the perceived inefficiencies, suggesting the establishment of a government efficiency department to address the wastage.

"At this rate, we need to follow in the footsteps of (US President Donald) Trump and establish the department of government efficiency because there is a lot of wastage, he remarked.

Disparities in funding allocations were also a focal point, with Uasin Gishu County receiving Sh700 million while Turkana County was allocated only Sh70 million.

Senate Health Committee Chairperson Jackson Mandago questioned the legitimacy of these allocations, saying, "The ones in the list that you are telling us are presidential directives might not be presidential directives, but they are there under the guise of a presidential directive."

Mandago also raised concerns about a nearly Sh2 billion allocation for doctors employed by county governments, questioning the necessity of such funding.

"Payment of doctors is done through the payroll. How do you pay doctors who are employed by the counties?" he asked.

The senators emphasized that according to the Constitution, county health services are the responsibility of county governments, making the Ministry of Health's involvement in these projects questionable.

"Schedule 4 of the Constitution is very clear. County governments are attached the responsibility of county health services," Olekina reiterated

Amid these budgetary concerns, the Social Health Authority (SHA) also came under scrutiny.

SHA CEO Robert Ingasira revealed that while 20.5 million people are registered, only about five million actively contribute.

Senators questioned whether SHA, placed under the Ministry of Health as a semi-autonomous government agency, should be independently managed.

Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka criticized Ingasira's lack of public engagement.

"I am a senator and I don’t understand what you are doing. How do you expect a villager to understand what you are doing? And you are sitting there saying you have been on TV, you have never been on TV," he said.

"I also want to confirm that the CEO SHA must be a very mysterious person because I have not seen him. I have not heard him say anything. Everything has been left to the CS, and I think there are some things that the CEO is supposed to clarify to the public," Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo added,

Mandago challenged the structure of SHA under the Ministry of Health, asking, "Are you (SHA CEO) the one implementing SHA, or is it the ministry doing it?"

Olekina questioned why SHA was placed under the State Department of Medical Services instead of operating as an independent authority.

However, PS Kimutai defended the move, explaining that SHA functions under delegated responsibilities from the ministry.

"The creation of SHA under the SHIF Act performs the functions that are delegated, which are the functions of the State Department for Medical Services. But as an authority, they will be handling those functions as a state agency," he stated.