Doctors have kicked out two of their representatives from the Nairobi Hospital board of management for allegedly supporting last month’s suspension of CEO Gordon Odundo.
The majority of senior doctors at the hospital are against the board’s decision and want Odundo recalled from his 90-day forced leave.
Dr Sam Maina-Wanjihia and Dr Jean Kagia were removed from the powerful medical advisory committee on Wednesday. Wanjihia is a gynaecologist while Kagia is an obstetrician.
Wanjihia was the chairman of the committee with Kagia the vice-chairperson.
The two were seconded to the hospital’s 10-member board of management, where the committee maintains two slots.
By virtue of being a board member, Wanjihia also sat in the hospital’s finance and investment committee. Kagia was a member of the audit and risk committee.
“Once they are replaced from the medical advisory committee, they automatically have to leave the board of management,” a committee member told the Star yesterday.
Both Wanjihia and Kagia declined to comment on the changes. They were replaced with physician Luke Musau and University of Nairobi don Koigi Kamau.
Musau declined to comment on the appointment while Kamau said, “We can’t talk about that because we are professionals not activists.”
The medical advisory committee comprises nine doctors who advise the hospital on clinical issues and take care of the welfare of medics.
Company secretary Mercy Mbijiwe said she could not interfere with the decisions made by doctors.
“There is no need to speak about that because these are matters of the doctors’ association and not the board,” Mbijiwe said.
A source told the Star the changes are final. “Being a member of medical advisory committee is actually a pro-bono job and people can be replaced,” the source said.
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Board chairman John Simba did not respond to requests for comment.
The disquiet among doctors began after the board sent Odundo on leave to pave the way for an audit into tendering processes.
“The board has asked the CEO to proceed on 90 days of leave with effect from December 14, 2018, to allow for the completion of the ongoing forensic audit,” the board said.
Sources said a misunderstanding arose between the CEO and the board after a member who wanted a tender for insurance services lost his bid because his firm was disqualified for inexperience.
The hospital is currently undergoing a Sh5.7 billion expansion plan to double bed and clinic capacities.
In 2016, the Nairobi Hospital reported a turnover of Sh8.7 billion.