Activists defend CS Duale in fight against health sector cartels

Civil society groups in the Rift Valley have rallied behind Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, urging him to stay the course in his battle against cartels allegedly exploiting the health sector.

The groups, led by the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy director Kipkorir Ngetich, praised Duale for taking what they termed bold steps to streamline the operations of the Social Health Authority.

They said fraudulent claims have drained public resources and undermined access to quality healthcare.

“We know corruption fights back and many are unhappy with what the CS is doing. They are working to bring him down but that is unacceptable,” Ngetich said.

He was accompanied by activists Jane Rotich and Paul Kimani, who described Duale as the right person to reform the sector.

The activists said political and media attacks against him were sponsored attempts to derail his reforms.

They welcomed the ministry’s move to delist hospitals implicated in fraudulent claims from the SHA, saying the decision would safeguard public funds and restore trust in the scheme.

The activists called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to conduct thorough investigations and ensure accountability.

“Kenyans must demand results from EACC when such matters arise. Taxpayers pay a lot of money to fund it, and it must act decisively,” Ngetich said.

The civil society representatives also praised President William Ruto for assigning Duale to the Health docket, saying the role requires firmness to confront vested interests.

They urged the CS to remain steadfast, describing him as “a no-nonsense person who cannot be intimidated.”

Rotich and Kimani said the new SHA, despite initial challenges, is a more progressive healthcare model compared to the defunct NHIF and if protected from cartels, could transform service delivery.

On Wednesday some Senate and National Assembly MPs are pushing for the resignation of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Social Health Authority chairman Abdi Mohamed for presiding over a multi-billion-shilling fraud scheme.

Led by Kitutu Chache South MP Antoney Kibagendi and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, the lawmakers’ said Kenyans were duped into believing SHA is a reform only for it to emerge as a conduit for looting public money.

The lawmakers said evidence points to a grand cover-up involving ghost hospitals, duplicate clinics and newly registered “briefcase” facilities siphoning public money meant for Kenyans’ healthcare.

At the centre of the storm is the Sh104 billion SHA system, which MPs allege was procured without transparency, despite the fact that upgrading the existing NHIF infrastructure would have cost just Sh700 million. 

“We now demand the immediate resignation of CS Adan Duale and the chairman of SHA for being complicit in issues raised and conflict of interest as well as call for establishment of a commission of Inquiry into SHA within the next 48 hours,” Kibagendi said.

Some of the contentious cases the MPs cited include Nyandiwa Dispensary – long closed – but still received payments; Divine Sparkle Medical Centre in Homa Bay, which received Sh2.8 million despite not existing and Hanano Nursing Home, which was paid Sh4 million more than Pumwani Hospital even though reports indicate it is fictitious.

Sipili Maternity, shut down three years ago, received nearly Sh5 million, Wante Nursing Home Limited, registered in February this year, was approved the next day and received Sh3.8 million within two months despite lacking a physical location.