Parliament wants action on importers of Sh100m medical containers

The National Assembly Committee on Health now wants those behind the procurement of 100 mobile container clinics lying at the National Youth Services yard in Mombasa prosecuted.

The committee said the tender to procure the containers from China at sh. 1 billion each was a waste of taxpayers’ money.

“It is obvious that the procurement of 100 clinical containers at sh. 1 billion is a shoddy job done by the ministry of health and we call for the prosecution of those behind the deal,” said Mishra Swarup Mishra MP Kesses Vice Chair Parliamentary Committee on Health.

The containers were purchased by the Ministry of Health in 2015 but have been lying at the NYS yard in Miritini Mombasa after the supplier failed to fit them with necessary gadgets.

According to the committee members the supplier, Estama Investments, was to supply, install, commission and hand over the clinics at a cost of Sh1 billion which never happened.

The containers were to be placed in strategic areas within informal settlements in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

The committee while inspecting the containers in Miritini, said the containers had been vandalised and equipment including telescope stolen while consumable drugs have already expired.

The government was expected to spend another Sh. 666 million to furnish and run the clinics for one year,

The ministry had paid Sh.800 million for the clinics in 2015 while the remaining balance of Sh.200 million was to be paid after completion of the contract.

The ministry will hire 400 health workers at Sh336 million to operate the clinics for 12 months.

Medical supplies for all the clinics for one year was to cost Sh180 million while Sh150 million to be spent on transportation, ground preparation including construction of toilets, waiting bay, installation of water, electricity and fences.

However, the committee said they will not approve any budget to run the clinics until those behind the procurement are prosecuted and the containers up and running.

“No money will be allocated to the ministry for maintainance of the containers until we are satisfied with the report and those behind the procurement are taken to task and dealt with,” said Swarup.

The committee also blamed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission EACC over failure to execute the people behind the procurement and importation of 100 clinical containers in 2017.

Swarup said EACC conducted investigations in the procurement of the containers but has failed to provide a report or take any action.

“EACC did investigations into the procurement of the containers but they have not provided any report or taken any action. We don’t want cosmetic war on graft,” said Swarup.

Peter Owino MP Ndiwa said that Kenyans have lost a lot of money in the procurement of the clinics and they will go after those who procured the containers.

“It is unbelievable that sh. 800 million was used three years ago to procure the containers which to date are lying here wasting away,” said Owino.

He said the 89 clinical containers still stored at NYS camp need to be transported to the relevant destination.

Owino said they will be writing a thorough report for action and go after those who procured the containers.

He said that they want all the documents including the delivery notes and the inspection report by the Ministry of Health.

Stephan Mule MP Matungulu said that the ministry of health should start engaging with the county government on procurement and personnel.

“We give a lot of money to the county government. The ministry of health should start to engage the county government since they are only involved in policies and capacity building,” said Mule.

The government has assured the public that the sh 800 million portable clinics holed up at a yard in Mombasa County have not been vandalised in any way.

Meanwhile Coast Regional Commissioner, John Elungata allayed fear that the clinics have been vandalized saying they are well kept and secured at the National Youth Service (NYS) Miritini Holding Camp.

Elungata said the delay to deliver the containerised facilities to the respective counties was occasioned by investigations conducted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

''Since investigations are almost complete, the health facilities can now be moved to designated counties,'' Elungata said.

The portable clinics were procured by the Ministry of Health in 2015 to help increase access to health services in urban counties with huge population in slum areas.

‘'Our role as regional development committee is to ensure public property is safeguarded and government projects are fully implemented,'' said Elungata.

He added that ‘our visit here is to confirm these crucial health facilities are intact and secured.’

Elungata’s tour follows a visit by the Parliamentary Committee on Health last week to inspect the clinics which have been stationed at NYS camp for over three years.

The committee raised concerns on the safety and delay to deliver the clinics to the respective counties and start offering the much needed health services to the people.

The first batch of 100 portable clinics arrived in December 2015 to compliment provision of health services at informal settlements in Nairobi, Mombasa and other counties.

Elungata confirmed that the supplier of the clinics (Estama Investments) has a pending bill of Sh200 million but said this will not be paid until all the container clinics are delivered to designated areas.

He asked the Ministry of Health to liase with county governments and expedite the delivery of the equipment without further delay.

''It is the government wish to see that all Kenyans are provided with affordable and quality health services,''added Elungata.

He contends that the government was committed in achieving universal healthcare and that adequate resources have been allocated to ensure broad coverage of the population.

Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services, Dr Fridah Govedi confirmed that the clinics were intact and that some of the equipment were put in selected containers to protect them from damage.

''The clinics just need to be assembled and all equipment will be in the right place,'' said Dr Govedi during the inspection of the clinics.

She noted that the ministry was determine to see the portable clinics are delivered to counties so Kenyans especially slum dwellers could benefit from the health services.

Govedi said the main objective of the clinics is to provide improved health services to over 71 per cent of the urban dwellers living in slum areas.

''We as a Ministry are equally concern on the delay but this was due to some factors beyond us. But will try to find ways to have the clinics transported to designated counties without further delay,'' Govedi stated.