Report on funds use submitted to US, Health CS Mailu says

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Government will from May and June distribute mobile clinics that had been stored at the Miritini National Youth Service camp.
  • The CS said counties are in the process of recruiting staff for the clinics.

A detailed report has been submitted to the US government in response to the withdrawal of funding to the Health ministry, with officials hoping the decision would be reversed.

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu said the report on how money was used was handed over to the US authorities Friday.

"In terms of fulfilling our mandate, we have a team from their (US) side to sit with us on Monday to verify some of the steps we have taken.

MOBILE CLINICS

“We hope after verification they will make a different pronouncement," said the minister after closing a retreat for the Kenya Medical Training College board, senior managers and principals in Mombasa.

Dr Mailu said the withdrawal was prompted by the October 2016 health report, but he denied it was because money was lost or stolen.

"It is about having faith in systems where their money is channelled to. We have a responsibility to satisfy them. We can do what it takes to ensure that funds are used effectively without leakages," he said.

Meanwhile, the government will from May and June distribute mobile clinics that had been stored at the Miritini National Youth Service camp.

Dr Mailu said counties to benefit from the clinics have been identified and will be placed in informal settlements in urban areas.

"That includes slum areas in urban areas. Mombasa will get six, Makueni three, Nakuru and Nairobi counties will each get 20," he added.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The CS said counties are in the process of recruiting staff for the clinics.

He urged counties to work with contractors and find sites where the 100 clinics will be placed to help in providing health services.

Dr Mailu's remarks come after National Super Alliance (Nasa) presidential candidate Raila Odinga blamed the Jubilee administration for the withdrawal of funds by the US government.

Washington suspended the support to the ministry, citing weak accounting procedures and lack of accountability.

But the ministry downplayed the cuts, describing them as only a small portion of the overall US health investment in Kenya, which exceeds Sh65 billion.

US ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec said, “We have temporarily suspended technical support that goes directly to the Ministry of Health because of ongoing concerns about accounting processes and procedures that revolve around corruption.”