The Auditor General’s report for the 2022/2023 financial year has revealed alarming instances of corruption and mismanagement within Kenya’s Ministry of Health.
According to the report, the Ministry orchestrated a fraudulent scheme involving non-existent health centers, where public funds were diverted, salaries were paid to fictitious healthcare workers, and drugs were supplied for imaginary patients.
The report further details that over KSh 766.5 million was disbursed outside the Ministry’s official payroll system, directly violating directives from the National Treasury. These payments were ostensibly made for compensations tied to various projects, including those involving Cuban doctors and Malaria vector specialists.
However, the absence of proper documentation and the deviation from established financial procedures have raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of these expenditures.
Adding to the controversy, the Ministry allocated more than KSh 493 million to send 35 Kenyan doctors for training in Cuba—a program that could have been conducted locally at a fraction of the cost.
The Auditor General’s findings indicate that this decision was made without verifying whether the training was unavailable in Kenya, suggesting possible misuse of public funds.
The implications of such widespread corruption are far-reaching. The report links these financial irregularities to ongoing issues in Kenya’s healthcare system, including frequent strikes by healthcare workers, shortages of essential drugs, and deteriorating health services.
These challenges are impeding Kenya’s progress toward achieving key health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and universal health coverage (UHC) targets.
The revelations have sparked public outrage and calls for urgent reforms within the Ministry of Health. Transparency and accountability are being demanded to ensure that public funds are used effectively to improve healthcare services across the country.
