• Committee on Health membes wanted a breakdown of the funds and where each amount was or will be channelled.
• Donations have been received from among others the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the European Union.
Image: FILE
Senators have asked the Ministry of Health for details of all funds the government has received from the donor community to combat Covid-19.
Members of the Committee on Health want a breakdown of the funds and where each amount was or will be channelled.
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache, who had appeared before the committee, requested for time to compile details of the funds and the areas where they will be channelled.
“I need time to prepare and give a comprehensive answer. It is not that I am refusing to respond to your questions but I had not prepared for the specifics of the donations,” Mochache said.
Wajir Senator Abdullahi Ali wanted to know how much each donor had given the ministry and where the financiers want the money to be expended.
“We want to know what each donor has given and what they want the money to be used for,” Ali said.
The PS said the ministry is still receiving support from the donor community to fight the pandemic.
Kenya has secured billions of shillings from four international organisations, namely the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the European Union.
Fears have been raised that well-connected individuals are making a kill from monies channelled towards fighting the pandemic.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has nonetheless assured Kenyans that every shilling that has been spent on Covid-19 will be accounted for.
Mochache told senators that they will have all their answers when she appears before them at a later date.
“I had not prepared for the specifics on how much has been contributed by Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, the World Bank, the Global Fund and others,” he said.
Committee chairman Michael Mbito said the PS needed time to respond to the queries raised.
“I think it is fair for us to give her time to come with proper responses. We cannot ambush her and expect detailed answers,” the Trans Nzoia senator said.
The PS appeared before the committee to respond to queries members raised in a letter to the ministry dated July 23.
The committee sought information on the part the ministry plays and the roles of Kenya Medical Supplies Agency in procurement and supply of health products and technology, including personal protective equipment (PPE) in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years.
The ministry was also asked to explain the utilisation of the budgetary allocations of Sh5.3 billion for essential health products and technology under the Universal Health Coverage programme.
Mochache said the ministry regularly updates and disseminates the Essential Health Products and Technologies lists for purposes of guiding the selection process for public sector procurements.
She said the ministry develops procurement lists for procurement under UHC, Global Fund, Unicef vaccines under Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) funding and parallel donor funding including Medical Commodities Project under USAID.
The ministry develops procurement lists and specifications for the government, the WB, GAVI and GF funding procurements to ensure smooth and effective procurement of Personal Protective Equipment and testing kits, she said.
Mochache said Kemsa undertakes procurements as per the ministry’s procurement lists.
“Kemsa warehouses and distributes products for UHC on a demand-driven ‘pool’ system of supply on a quarterly basis and based on the drawing for counties and national referral hospitals.”
Further, Kemsa distributes parallel programme medical supplies as per the distribution lists provided by the ministry.
Mochache said Kemsa procures essential health products and technologies, PPE and test kits in bulk and "therefore at very cost-effective prices and passes the benefit to the customers".
- mwaniki fm