The board of the Social Health Authority is expected to shuffle top managers in the ongoing purge that began with the acting CEO Elijah Wachira.
One board member told the Star some of the managers may be suspended.
“The Ministry of Health feels let down by how SHA is operating. We have let Kenyans down,” the board member said.
SHA promised a seamless transition from NHIF on October 1, but the process has been muddled and thousands of Kenyans still cannot access health services despite being paid-up members.
Although public hospitals have been ordered to continue serving the public without copayment, many are struggling with debts.
Patients are still being forced to take tests and drugs from private laboratories and pharmacies.
On Tuesday night, the board held an impromptu meeting and suspended the acting CEO Wachira for 90 days.
The board partly blamed him for the ongoing chaotic transition from the National Health Insurance Fund into the authority.
“This is to inform you of the resolution of the board to appoint you as acting chief executive officer SHA and NHIF effective immediately pending finalisation of investigations of the Ag chief executive officer, SHA and chief executive officer NHIF,” read the memo by chair Abdi Mohamed in part.
“This is to inform you of the resolution of the board to appoint Robert Ingasira as acting chief executive officer, effective immediately.” Mohamed said Wachira will still receive his full benefits and remunerations despite being out of office.
Wachira has denied all accusations and said he is not aware of any diverted funds.
Mohamed did not immediately respond to the Star. The board had also accused Wachira of prioritising payments to private hospitals for services offered to SHA members, at the expense of public hospitals.
The ousted CEO has denied all these accusations.
Wachira was appointed CEO of the NHIF in October last year after a competitive process.
“The new management team brings on board an invaluable wealth of experience that will immensely contribute to the transition of the fund into success,” former NHIF board chairman Michael Kamau said at that time.
In a letter seen by the Star, Wachira has been sent on a compulsory leave for three months.
“This is to inform you of the resolution of the board to send you on a compulsory leave effectively immediately to allow for further investigation into your professional conduct,” a letter by Mohamed reads in part.
The letter states that Wachira has been directed to hand over his office to Ingasira immediately.
Wachira is a seasoned insurer, having been the managing director of CIC General for four years before he joined NHIF.
According to the minutes of Tuesday’s meeting, seen by the Star, the board complained of rising pending bills, which have forced hospitals to ask patients to pay cash.
“As its first assignment towards
UHC attainment, it has been critical to pursue the clearance of these
pending bills as they also disburse
claims on time to avoid payment
backlogs. Fifty per cent of the Sh19
billion pending bills have been
cleared in just over one month,
a historic fete since the advent of
SHA,” the minutes read.
