Former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha officially handed over the reins of the Ministry of Health to her successor, Deborah Mulongo, in a ceremony held at Afya House today 29th August, marking the end of a nearly two-year tenure, which began with her appointment in October 2022.
Among her most notable achievements was the introduction of the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) program, which saw over 100,000 professionals trained to provide basic medical care across the country. “We did a very good job. I leave with my head very high,” Nakhumicha stated during the handover, highlighting the program’s success in bridging healthcare gaps, especially in underserved areas.
Under Nakhumicha’s leadership, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) underwent major restructuring. The agency, previously mired in procurement scandals, witnessed the implementation of a new governance structure and a substantial increase in stock availability. “When we came in, there was a dark cloud hanging around KEMSA, but I leave having managed to do some work,” she remarked.
Another key accomplishment during her tenure was the operationalization of the Kenya BioVax Institute, established in 2021. The institute, aimed at spearheading local vaccine production, is a critical step toward reducing Kenya’s reliance on imported vaccines and achieving self-sufficiency in the health sector.
Despite these successes, Nakhumicha candidly acknowledged the challenges she faced, particularly the protracted doctors’ strike that lasted nearly three months. The strike led to intern doctors sleeping outside the Ministry of Health’s offices at Afya House, a situation that Nakhumicha described as one of the lowest moments of her tenure.
“It was a low moment for us as a ministry. Having to see that there are patients who need to be served and there are no doctors to serve them, that was really a low moment for me,” she confessed.
Her handling of the strike, despite ultimately brokering a deal for doctors and interns to return to work, was met with criticism from the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU). The union’s Secretary General, Davji Atellah, and his team even celebrated when President William Ruto fired the entire cabinet, including Nakhumicha.
Reflecting on her time in office, Nakhumicha noted that while her ministry faced challenges, she viewed them as part of the journey in public service. “Even when you think you are doing good; the law of unintended consequences catches up with you. You plan to do the very best but end up with an unintended consequence,” she said.
During the handover, Mulongo praised Nakhumicha’s contributions and expressed her commitment to building on the foundations laid by her predecessor. “I can’t wait to see Kenyans are covered under SHA. Our main challenge was resources, we had plans but we didn’t have enough challenges,” Mulongo stated, urging the public to register for the Social Health Authority (SHA) ahead of its launch on October 1, 2024.
Former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha officially handed over the reins of the Ministry of Health to her successor, Deborah Mulongo, in a ceremony held at Afya House today 29th August, marking the end of a nearly two-year tenure, which began with her appointment in October 2022.
Among her most notable achievements was the introduction of the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) program, which saw over 100,000 professionals trained to provide basic medical care across the country. “We did a very good job. I leave with my head very high,” Nakhumicha stated during the handover, highlighting the program’s success in bridging healthcare gaps, especially in underserved areas.
Under Nakhumicha’s leadership, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) underwent major restructuring. The agency, previously mired in procurement scandals, witnessed the implementation of a new governance structure and a substantial increase in stock availability.
“When we came in, there was a dark cloud hanging around KEMSA, but I leave having managed to do some work,” she remarked.
Another key accomplishment during her tenure was the operationalization of the Kenya BioVax Institute, established in 2021. The institute, aimed at spearheading local vaccine production, is a critical step toward reducing Kenya’s reliance on imported vaccines and achieving self-sufficiency in the health sector.
Despite these successes, Nakhumicha candidly acknowledged the challenges she faced, particularly the protracted doctors’ strike that lasted nearly three months. The strike led to intern doctors sleeping outside the Ministry of Health’s offices at Afya House, a situation that Nakhumicha described as one of the lowest moments of her tenure.
“It was a low moment for us as a ministry. Having to see that there are patients who need to be served and there are no doctors to serve them, that was really a low moment for me,” she confessed.
Her handling of the strike, despite ultimately brokering a deal for doctors and interns to return to work, was met with criticism from the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists Dentists Union (KMPDU). The union’s Secretary General, Davji Atellah, and his team even celebrated when President William Ruto fired the entire cabinet, including Nakhumicha.
Reflecting on her time in office, Nakhumicha noted that while her ministry faced challenges, she viewed them as part of the journey in public service. “Even when you think you are doing good; the law of unintended consequences catches up with you. You plan to do the very best but end up with an unintended consequence,” she said.
During the handover, Mulongo praised Nakhumicha’s contributions and expressed her commitment to building on the foundations laid by her predecessor.
“I can’t wait to see Kenyans are covered under SHA. Our main challenge was resources, we had plans but we didn’t have enough challenges,” Mulongo stated, urging the public to register for the Social Health Authority (SHA) ahead of its launch on October 1, 2024.
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