By G, KNA
Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale has announced release of Sh98 million owed to the troubled St. Mary’s Mission Hospital in Mumias, Kakamega county paving way for its reopening.
Speaking to the press outside the Kakamega County Governor offices after a meeting, Duale also announced that the government will in the next two weeks’ pay Kakamega County Sh100 million being part of the claims from SHA and that further reimbursements will be done once the ongoing verification of all claims is concluded.
“By 14th of this week, the date SHA pays reimbursements, we shall pay Kakamega county Sh100 million and the remaining balances to be paid out once verification of all claims are concluded,” he added.
Duale said the Ministry has put in place an AI Powered detection system that monitors every transaction real time, detecting suspicious patterns and blocking fraudulent claims.
On St. Mary Mission hospital is Mumias run by the Kakamega Catholic Dioceses, ceased operations last month due to financial issues and alleged non-remittance of funds by the Ministry of Health.
However, Duale said the hospital has since December last year to August this year, been reimbursed a total of Sh98 million.
The CS said the hospital will receive another reimbursement of Sh14.3 million in the next two weeks, but said they have agreed with Bishop Joseph Obanyi of Kakamega Diocese on how the remaining balances will be cleared, once verification is concluded.
“So from where we sit St, Mary’s hospital has not been closed by SHA, nor by the regulator Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist council, or the Digital Health Agency that controls the system and their license valid to operate.
The CS said on reopening of the health facility, he will preside over a donation of a consignment of drugs from the government and a medical camp at the facility for area residents,” he added.
“Those who are peddling rumors in funerals and to use St. Mary’s hospital for political mileage to look for something else to talk about”, he said, in an apparent reference to some politicians who have been calling for his resignation over non-remittance of claims to health facilities countrywide.
Duale said the Ministry of Health will in the next two weeks unveil a Digital Tracking System in all public health facilities to curb theft of medical commodities.
“We have put in place a water tight solid system to ensure that no staff can steal any medical commodities, not even a Panadol and the system will be operational in all public health institutions in two weeks’ time.” he added.
Kakamega Diocese Bishop Joseph Obanyi, who also addressed the media said that they had had fruitful discussion with the CS and his team and confirmed that St. Mary’s Mission hospital had received a total Sh98,671,567 Million from SHA since December last year to August this year.
“We have pending claims of Sh35 million that we expect to receive from SHA which will help us clear the arrears for workers’ pay,” he said.
“We also have pending Sh10 million still being verified by SHA and will continue engaging,” said Bishop Obanyi.
The Bishop said strike of workers at the health facility that led for ceasing of medical services was due to accruing salary arrears of 3 months from defunct National Health Insurance FUND (NHIF), which stands at Sh143 million.
Bishop Obanyi added that once they receive another pending claim of about Sh14 million, when the necessary documentation and verification is concluded in the next two weeks, then St. Mary’s Mission Hospital will engage the workers to resume work.
Kakamega Governor Fernandez Barasa said Kakamega County has registered a total of 800,000 people under SHA against its target of 1.8 Million people
“We have embarked on a serious registration exercise to register the remaining one million people and I urge the residents to turn up and register in order to benefit”, he added.
Barasa said Kakamega County is still owed Sh293 Million pending bills from SHA, Sh72 Million being for level two and threes, 55 Million for level fours and Sh166 million for level Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital, which is level 5.
The governor confirmed that SHA will pay the county Sh100 million, being part of the reimbursement of the pending bills for Kakamega County and Teaching Referral hospital in the next two weeks.
“We are still awaiting an analysis of 15 level four public health facilities and level two hospitals,” he added.
Present were the Principal Secretary Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SHA Dr. Mercy Mwangangi among others.