Oluga suggests conducting corruption assessment at Afya House

The nominee for Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Ouma Oluga, has proposed conducting a corruption risk assessment within the ministry to address the ongoing issue of corruption.

During his appearance before the National Assembly Health Committee for vetting, Oluga emphasized that this initiative is a crucial step in combating corruption in the sector.

“On the governance perspective, I think it is time to do a corruption risk assessment of the Ministry of Health because we as a country have talked about the issue for so long, so we can know whether it (corruption) is real or is perceived,” stated Oluga

In response to a question from the committee led by MP James Nyikal, which inquired about his strategy for tackling cartels at Afya House, Oluga revealed that the proposed corruption risk assessment would identify vulnerable areas within the Ministry of Health typically exploited by cartels.

He further explained that this assessment would play a key role in developing and implementing a corruption prevention plan to address the issue.

Oluga also disclosed his net worth as Sh196 million.

“We have to do a corruption risk assessment and look at those weak points. The office of the Auditor General has been producing reports; they come to this parliament, and we discuss them. What are the systemic weaknesses?” he posed.

Oluga added, “More importantly, with that corruption assessment, we must develop a corruption prevention plan to tackle the institutional and governance issues that allow cartels to thrive. The Cabinet Secretary has also made his stance clear on this matter.”

The former Secretary-General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) further committed to using his background as a unionist to address some of the persistent challenges within the health sector.

He emphasized the importance of strengthening these levels through an inclusive approach, allowing for the establishment of effective solutions.

This, he said, would help ensure that the CBA implementation committees are able to function properly and that accountability is maintained throughout the process.