Why senators want overhaul of MoH budget

Senators are now demanding a complete overhaul and a thorough audit of the multi-billion-shilling budget of the Ministry of Health.

The development comes even as the lawmakers prevailed on the Cabinet Secretary Debora Barasa and Principal secretaries Harry Kimutai (Medical Services) and Mary Muthoni (Public Health) to free Sh3.4 billion from the ministry’s budget to absorb more than 8,000 universal health coverage workers.

Speaking during a heated meeting with the ministry officials in Parliament yesterday, the senators flagged what they termed massive duplication, “needless” allocations and allocation for functions meant for county governments.

The lawmakers also identified huge allocations for “presidential directive” projects – which, besides being county functions, are largely skewed in favour of some counties.

According to senators, the allocations amount to wastage of public money, thus the need for overhaul and audit of the budget.

“At this rate, we need to follow in the footsteps of (US President Donald) Trump and establish the department of government efficiency because there is a lot of wastage,” Narok Senator Ledama Olekina said.

“If the ministry cannot even explain this budget [then] it is about time that we end this unnecessary wastage of public funds and focus specifically on each of the programmes.”

The senators cited some Sh990 million allocated for the construction of health facilities under the ambit of the county governments.

In yet another allocation, the ministry set aside Sh29 billion for county projects.

“There is a vote of D1082, which comprises Sh29 billion for county projects which the state department is undertaking,” nominated Senator Mariam Omar said.

PS Kimutai, through the chief finance officer of the department, admitted the allocation, adding that they arose from the presidential directives.

“Within the budget, the state department has received a number of presidential directives which are facilities across all the counties and they are levels 2, 3 and 4 hospitals,” he said.

“So, the allocation that has been put under that head vote for county facilities, they relate to presidential directives across the country.”

However, the senators raised concerns about the skewed allocation for presidential directives, with Olekina citing Uasin Gishu, which has been allocated Sh700 million and Turkana Sh70 million.

“The ones in the list that you are telling us are presidential directives might not be presidential directives, but they are there under the guise of a presidential directive,” the Health committee chairman Jackson Mandago.

The ministry has also allocated close to Sh2 billion for the payment of doctors who are employed by the counties.

“Payment of doctors is done through the payroll. How do you pay doctors who are employed by the counties?” Mandago said.

Further, the lawmakers flagged what they termed abnormal growth in the recurrent expenses of the ministry, with that of the State Department of Medical services growing by 98 per cent in the last one year.

In the current financial year, the department has been allocated Sh91 billion.

The agency is seeking Sh350 billion in the next fiscal year but has been given Sh172 billion in the budget policy statement.

“If you survived with an allocation of Sh91 billion in the current financial year, why is your requirement Sh350 billion? Do you need that money, or are we putting in figures that are scaring for no good reason?” Mandago added.

The senator said the ministry’s figures do not add up, as they called for a complete overhaul of the budget.

“Schedule 4 of the Constitution is very clear. County governments are attached the responsibility of county health services” Olekina said.