A section of medics have called for the resignation of Health CS Mutahi Kagwe over three critical areas they want him to address.
Kenya Health Professionals Society dared Kagwe to quit if he failed to win the war against cartels stationed at Afya House. The medics lamented that the cartels were behind their salary delays and were tampering with their insurance covers.
“Health CS should take responsibility and crack the whip. If you are unable to clean the docket, just resign. It’s absurd to transfer individuals linked to corruption to other positions instead of firing them.
“Afya house is a cash cow for big boys and guys in this country. Kagwe should stop lecturing Kenyans on TV, take action or resign,” Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary-General Seth Panyako stated while addressing the media on Wednesday, July 1.
Panyako also asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to fire CS Kagwe over alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 funds at Afya House. He claimed that the Ministry was spending over Ksh1 million per day.
Earlier on at the Ministry's daily briefing on Wednesday, July 1, Health Director-General Patrick Amoth reiterated the government's commitment to protecting health workers after announcing that 186 healthcare workers had tested positive for coronavirus since the outbreak in March. Amoth added that no health worker had succumbed to the virus.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Secretary-General George Gibore, however, differed and stated that medics were struggling to work and were at risk of contracting the virus. Gibore further claimed that two health practitioners had died after contracting Covid-19 in the line of duty while asking Kagwe to resign for failing to protect medics.
“So far, two health workers in Kajiado and Nairobi have succumbed to Covid-19 with another 100 contracting the virus. We are demanding life insurance cover and compensation for health workers who succumb and those who contract the coronavirus," Gibore stated.
Kagwe has numerously lamented over the frustrations he was facing in the fight cartels at Afya House. The CS also defended his ministry against embezzlement of funds.
"Restructure is an ongoing process and no resistance will stop it. The contract spells out where someone will work. Just like any other sector or ministry, in this building, we have a fair share of criminals who use the name of the ministry to con Kenyans.
"Sometimes you will find people who have been around for 12 years. Why would such a person still want to cling to that office after staying for so many years? The only difference is that we are owning up and we are ready to deal with them," Kagwe stated.
