MPs to Begin Investigation on NHIF, Kemsa Procurement Scams

The National Assembly will on Tuesday begin investigating health-related concerns.

The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) will be summoned by the Departmental Committee on Health to discuss alleged irregularities in the procurement procedure and the suspension of long-lasting insecticidal mosquito nets.

The move could increase the danger of malaria, a fatal illness that kills an estimated 12,000 people annually in Kenya, for millions of low-income households.

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) representatives will attend a second meeting of the Robert Pukose-led committee at the Panari Hotel to examine various national issues.

One of these is the failure to pay NHIF capitations to hospitals that treat cardholders.

The committee will also look through cash flow statements from the previous two years and, if applicable, evaluate any current financial reserve policy.

The committee will also discuss issues with hospitals that won’t accept NHIF cards and the recently canceled NHIF recruitment for the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Management Directors.

Additionally, a thorough discussion of the status of NHIF payments for Edu Afya, Linda Mama maternity coverage, and rebates will be covered.

The committee’s mission is to compile data on unpaid balances, the date of the last payment, remaining hospital debts, and, if relevant, the timeframe for future payments.

The committee may also speak on recent moves taken by Susan Nakhumicha, secretary of the Health Cabinet, including her suspension of certain National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) branch managers.

This action was taken in reaction to the exposé that exposed how unscrupulous hospitals made large sums of money by operating dubious medical clinics that preyed on elderly patients.

Susan Nakumicha, the health cabinet’s secretary, suspended eight NHIF branch administrators on Monday after they were charged with deceiving Kenyans.

She criticized cartels for working together with branch managers to plan the scam.

Further, the CS mandated that the NHIF board launch its inquiries into the alleged fraud and deliver a preliminary report to her desk within the following 48 hours.