Reinstate NHIF boss, demands Nyong’o

The Minister for Medical Services now wants suspended chief executive of the National Hospital Insurance Fund Richard Kerich reinstated.

In a letter to Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko, Prof Anyang Nyong’o says Mr Kerich should return to work because Parliament dismissed a report on which his suspension, and that of the entire board, was based.

“I write to seek legal advice on this matter. Following the submission to Parliament of a report compiled by the Parliamentary Committee on Health and its subsequent dismissal by the committee of the whole house, it is clear there is no case against government officers mentioned adversely in the report including the CEO, Mr Richard Kerich,” reads Prof Nyong’os July 10 letter.

In the letter copied to the PS in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Mohammed Isahakia, the minister also seeks the DPP’s “expeditious advice” on the fate of 300 health providers which were identified and brought on board, out of which 71 were not registered by the Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board.

In February, a joint study commissioned by the World Bank/International Finance Corporation, Ministry of Medical Services and NHIF and conducted by Deloitte Consulting Limited appeared to give NHIF a clean bill of health in handling huge finances.

But it included a disclaimer, saying it was not tantamount to an endorsement of the insurer.

The report which was thrown out by Parliament on June 28 was investigating how NHIF paid Sh1.2 billion to health service providers across the country for the first three months of the year for the civil servants’ medical insurance scheme.

The report had recommended that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission investigate the role played by Prof Nyong’o and Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno.