Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has appointed a 16-member Social Health Authority Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel to advise him and the SHA CEO over the rollout of the new national insurance scheme.
In a special gazette notice on Wednesday, the CS tapped Professor Walter G. Jaoko to chair the panel. He also appointed Health Director General Patrick Amoth as a member of the panel.
''In exercise of the powers conferred by Regulations 41 (2) and 43 (1) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Health establishes the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel to advise the Cabinet Secretary and the Social Health Authority on the benefits packages under Regulation 40 (1) of the Social Health Insurance Regulations, 2024,'' the statement read in part.
Other members of the panel include Nehemiah Odera, Margaret Macharia, Hajara El Busaidy, Robert Rapando, Gabriel Muswali, Mary Kigasia Amuyunzu-Nyamongo, and Walter Oyamo Obita.
Others are Valeria Makory, Stephen Kaboro, Francis Motiri, Christine Wambugu, Tabitha Okech, Patricia Nyokabi, and Abdiaziz Abdikadir Ahmed.
The panel, which consists of all doctors, will serve for the next three years.
Duale's move comes at a time when Kenyans have questioned the viability and workability of SHA. It also comes at a time when the CS vowed to eradicate cartels in the ministry that are crippling its progress.
“I will face the cartels head-on because I have blessings from the president,” Duale asserted.
In the same breath, Duale appointed a special committee to investigate the ongoing organ transplant scandal in the country.
Duale appointed 16 members to lead the investigations into Mediheal Hospital, which has been cast into the limelight following an exposé of alleged irregular transplants at the hospital.
''It is notified for general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Health has constituted a committee to be known as the Independent Investigative Committee on Tissue and Organ Transplant Services (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”)'', read part of the statement by Duale.
The committee will be led by Professor Elizabeth Bukusi as the chairperson and will run for the next three months. Its main role includes investigating the cases, auditing the hospital, and interviewing renal transplant surgeons, nephrologists, anaesthetists, administrators, and patients (donors and recipients).
They will also review the existing policy and establish the existing legal and regulatory framework governing the tissue and organ transplant services in the country, after which they will submit a comprehensive report to the CS.
