• Ministry used Sh14.4 million to maintain and fuel 30 vehicles used by its officers across the country.
• It spent Sh2 million out of the Sh6 million approved for airtime for some of its 500 staff.
The Ministry of Health has given a breakdown of how it spent Sh1 billion received from the World Bank in the fight against Covid-19.
A document tabled before the Health Committee of the National Assembly chaired by Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege indicates the ministry used Sh42 million to lease 15 ambulances.
This means the ministry paid Sh2.8 million for each of the leased ambulances.
The ministry used Sh14.4 million to maintain and fuel 30 vehicles used by its officers across the country, translating to Sh40,000 per vehicle every week.
The document was tabled by Health CS Susan Mochache during a virtual meeting with the MPs.
From the records, the Health docket approved Sh13.5 million to accommodate 30 health care workers over a period of three months. So far, Sh12 million has been spent on accommodating the workers less than two months since the first case was reported on March 13.
The ministry spent Sh2 million out of the Sh6 million approved for airtime for some of its 500 staff for a period of three months.
The PS told the House team another Sh4 million was used to buy tea and snacks for various teams out of the Sh10.1 million budget.
In its communications which includes advertising, the ministry has spent Sh70 million and a further Sh6.5 million to procure stationery.
The ministry had budgeted for Sh2.5 million on stationery, a figure it has surpassed by Sh4 million, according to the document tabled before the committee.
Printing of quarantine and travellers’ forms and discharge forms consumed Sh9 million, the record indicates.
A further Sh11.8 million was used to procure and install call centres for grievances and complaints management from members of the public.
Mochache explained that the ministry channelled over Sh610 million to Kenya Medical Research Institute for procurement of a range of laboratory equipment and kits necessary in the management and testing of coronavirus.
The ministry intended to use Sh976.7 million from the World Bank money but has so far spent Sh1.3 billion.
“The excess expenditure will be drawn from the additional funds from the World Bank. Contracts have already been entered into for the above procurements,” Mochache said.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe denied any involvement in the alleged ‘sacking’ of a Kemri researcher last week.
The CS read politics in the manner the incident – which he noted was a normal internal administrative issue – shot to the public limelight.
Appearing before the National Assembly Health Committee, Kagwe said he had nothing to do with the alleged demotion, saying his office would not be engaged in micro-managing state agencies under it.
“My understanding was that the individual was never sacked but was just transferred from one department to another. I don’t want to engage too much on this,” Kagwe told MPs.
“I even see politics at play in this case. I am wondering why an administrative issue can make it to the front page.
“I personally do not have any authority on Kemri.”
He referred the Committee to the Kemri managing director Prof Yeri Kombe for clarification on the circumstances that led to the changes.
Dr Joel Lutomiah, Centre for Virus Research director, was reportedly sacked last week under unclear circumstances.
Kemri has the largest testing capacity in the country with a capacity to test 15,000 samples in a day.
Researchers and political leaders have demanded an explanation on the ‘sacking’ of Dr Lutomiah whose role at the institute was vital in the country’s fight against Covid-19.
On Monday, MPs Charles Njagua Kanyi (Jaguar) of Starehe, William Chepkut (Ainabkoi), Ayub Savula (Lugari) and Ledama Ole Kina (Narok Senator) questioned the circumstances under which Lutomiah was dismissed.
They claimed the reasons given were insufficient.
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