The Ministry of Health, headed by Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki, is on the spot again following the loss of Ksh7 billion in the procurement of CT scanners.
Speaking to the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee, Health Principal Secretary Peter Tum divulged that the ministry issued a fresh tender for the purchase of 37 CT scans at Ksh8.4 billion yet the machines had already been budgeted for and purchased in the acquisition of Medical Equipment Service (MES) for Ksh4 billion.
PS Tum noted that the scanners were supposed to be part of the MES equipment that was procured.
"Yes the CT scans are part of the family of imaging machines and a CT scanner should be one of them," Tum revealed.
[caption caption="File image of Health CS Sicily Kariuki and her PS Peter Tum"]
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The deal between Kenya and China surfaced revealing that the Kenyan government paid Ksh1.7 billion to finance the acquisition of the machines and the remainder of the Ksh7 billion was paid for by the Chinese government as part of a loan to Kenya, with the entire cost for the equipment put at Ksh8.4 billion.
Additionally, the ministry is on the spot over how 89 mobile clinics which were part of the 100 provided by Estama Investments Limited at a cost of Ksh1 billion, are yet to be distributed to Mombasa, Nairobi, and Kisumu, three years after they were procured.
The PAC Chairman Opiyo Wandayi was also informed that the matter is currently being investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The committee members further demanded National Treasury CS Henry Rotich and former Health CS Cleopa Mailu to appear before them to explain the matter on purchasing of the scanners.
According to them, the CSs ought to explain why the scans were omitted in the procurement of MES yet it is in the family of imaging machine that was supposed to have been procured.
However, in a special report, Auditor General Edward Ouko stated that the payment for the MES was confirmed by completion certificate instead of inspection and acceptance.
Wandayi claimed that certain individuals in the ministry planned and orchestrated the whole issue to ensure that they benefitted from the scanners.
Mavoko MP Patrick Makau asserted that former Health PS Julius Korir is supposed to be in jail over the procurement of the scanners whereas Tongaren MP Eseli Simiyu demanded to know why the ministry paid for the MES and scans yet there was no budget for it.
[caption caption="File image of Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi"]
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