• NHIF Board chairman Michael Kamau said Wachira's appointment followed a competitive and open recruitment exercise.
• He said he was appointed alongside six directors.
Image: FILE
Elijah Wachira has been appointed the new National Health Insurance Fund chief executive officer in new changes announced by the fund's board Thursday.
NHIF Board chairman Michael Kamau said Wachira's appointment followed a competitive and open recruitment exercise.
He said he was appointed alongside six directors.
"The new management team brings on board an invaluable wealth of experience that will immensely contribute to the transition of the Fund into success," Kamau said.
Wachira replaces Samson Kuhora who has been the acting chief executive officer of the Fund.
Kuhora was appointed acting CEO with effect from March 14 ahead of the end of the term of former CEO Peter Kamunyo which ended in April.
"I thank all staff for their dedication and support accorded to the acting CEO and senior management during the interim period," the board chair said.
The new directors are Hazel Koitaba who will be the director in charge of the beneficiary and provider management and Ibrahim Mohamed Alio the new director in charge of Corporate Services.
The new director of Internal Audit is Pariken Ole Sankei while Catherine Mungania is the corporate secretary and director of legal services.
Robert Ingarisa has been appointed the director of financial services while Martin Ayoo will be in charge of Information and Communication Technology.
The recruitment process commenced following an advert for the positions carried out in print and digital media on June 27, 2023.
It was a fresh recruitment exercise after the initial one was terminated by the board on June 20.
“Consequently, the board unanimously resolved to terminate the ongoing recruitment and will initiate a fresh process,” Kuhora said in a statement.
The board had completed shortlisting candidates for the position and Health CS Susan Nakhumicha was expected to name a new CEO by the end of May.
The new team assumes office at a time when the Fund is facing investigations in relation to alleged conspiracy with some private health providers to defraud contributors.
It followed a June 18 NTV investigative exposé, 'We Steal, God Heals', which revealed medical fraud in various hospitals in Nairobi and Meru counties.
The conspiracy involved men and women who would disguise themselves as healthcare providers and go around villages selling false hope to people that they would help them recover from medical complications.
They would then, in conspiracy with senior officials at the fund, inflate bills and then charge the national insurer.
On June 21, NHIF suspended contracts with six hospitals for a period of 90 days following the exposure.
Nakhumicha also suspended all NHIF branch managers in the affected areas pending a thorough investigation and ordered a lifestyle audit on all NHIF staff members following the scandal.
"To ensure that facilities suspected of these ills do not continue siphoning resources from patients and government, I hereby direct that all branch managers from all the suspected areas be suspended immediately pending investigations," she ordered.