National Assembly Health Committee seeks answers on the Utilization of Covid-19 Funds
The Departmental Committee on Health of the National Assembly this week met with officials from various government departments. The officials who went to parliament are: from the Ministry of Health are Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, PS Susan Mochache, Kemri CEO Prof Yeri Kombe, Director Liaison, Rose Mudibo, Head of National Laboratory Services Dr John Kiiru, Dr Nduku Kilonzo and Anne Ng’anga’ of Covid-19 response project . From the Transport ministry, CAS Christopher Obura, PS Solomon Kitungu, Director Government Clearing Agency Felix Aten and Special Advisor to CS Macharia Mr Joe Mutugu appeared before the Committee.
The Health Committee has been looking into the issue of the use of COVID funds after the media broke the story on the procurement mess at Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa).
This led to public outrage resulting from allegations of misappropriation of funds allocated towards the management and mitigation of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Committee chaired by the Murang’a County Woman Representative, Hon. Sabina Chege is looking for specific answers from the management of these institutions on how much money was received, how much was spent, and how much of the money disbursed was left.
The Committee has in the past met with the Boards of Management of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), and the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) in a bid to gather facts on the receipt and expenditure of the funds allocated to the Institutions, towards the fight against the Covid-19 Pandemic.