EACC to review NHIF system for corruption loopholes

Director of Preventive Services at EACC Vincent Okong`o(L) NHIF Chairman Michael Kamau (center) and Samson Kuhora(R).[Collins Kweyu, Standard]

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has announced a system audit of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to identify and seal gaps that enable corruption in the agency.

Vincent Okong'o, the Director of Preventive Service of the EACC, said on August 31 that the system review will help in enhancing accountability, transparency, and governance at the fund.

He said that the audit will not interfere with the ongoing investigations at the NHIF, which has faced several graft allegations and public outcry over fund mismanagement.
"The work that we will do here will support the fund to strengthen its system of accountability, transparency, and governance. We shall put emphasis on prevention and system review as it is one of the key prevention strategies being applied to assist public entities," Okong'o told reporters.

Okong'o said that the system review is expected to be completed within 45 days and the report will be submitted to the NHIF for implementation.

The audit will involve collecting and analyzing data from interviews with workers and reviewing organizational frameworks.

The EACC will also assess the existing policies and framework at the fund operations for fighting corruption, as well as the structures and mitigation measures put in place to prevent corruption and other unethical practices.

Okong'o added that the EACC had agreed with the fund operation to provide support in terms of capacity building and management to improve service delivery.