US did not arm-twist Kenya into sending Kembi Gitura’s team home: Kagwe

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe says the US is welcome to probe KEMSA. [File, Standard]

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe says the ARVs distribution standoff between the US Government, via USAID, and the Kenyan Government did not lead to the overhaul of Kembi Gitura-led Board at KEMSA.

Appearing before the Senate Health Committee on Friday, April 30, the CS said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to fire the former KEMSA Board members was made without duress.

Kagwe was responding to a question by the committee’s chairperson, Michael Mbito, who is also Trans Nzoia County Senator, seeking an explanation over the change of top administration at the Board.

“The US did not influence the appointment of Mary [Chao] Mwadime as the chairperson of the KEMSA Board,” said Kagwe.

The changes at KEMSA, reports suggest, were influenced by President Kenyatta’s Tuesday meeting with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who expressed concern over lack of accountability at the medical supplies agency.

Little is known about the incoming KEMSA Board boss, Mwadime. A background search indicates she worked in Liberia as USAID’s Officer in charge of Acquisition and Assistance.

Kenya has been accused of jeopardising ARV distribution after imposing a Sh45 million importation tax on the retroviral drugs early this year. The tax demand was later rescinded by the National Treasury, paving way for the distribution.

However, a new headache arose when Kenya and the USAID spurred on who would make the nationwide distribution.

It was reported that the US had lost faith in KEMSA, which was facing corruption scandals in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the Head of National AIDS and STI Control Program, Dr. Catherine Ngugi, who also appeared before the Senate Health Committee on Friday, said the impasse over ARVs distribution has been eased.

“The Ministry of Health already released two-month ARVs doses to mitigate the shortage [due to the importation standoff],” said Ngugi.

She added that Kenya is at an advanced stage of putting up an ARV-manufacturing plant.

“Within five months, we would be in a position to produce the drugs locally,” said Dr. Ngugi.

CS Kagwe, on the other hand, said Kenya and the US Government has set up a joint committee to resolve the distribution stand-off.

“I welcome independent investigations by the United States into KEMSA’s alleged corruption. I have no problem, so long as the investigations fall within their jurisdiction, and the local investigative agencies made aware,” he said.  

Covid vaccines

The minister was also put to task to explain the status of Covid-19 vaccination in the country, especially after it emerged that the current doses of AstraZeneca are almost running out.

“We are working to acquire more vaccines,” he said.

According to Kagwe, Kenya is in talks with Belgium, the US and South Korea to acquire excess AstraZeneca doses in the countries. This, he said, will help Kenyans who received the first jab of AstraZeneca complete their doses.

Kagwe further stated Kenya is open to receiving different vaccine brands, including those manufactured in China and Russia.

At least 850,000 people were confirmed to have received the first jab of AstraZeneca by Friday, April 30. The vaccination program is ongoing with a few of the 1.02 million doses remaining.

Kenya, which was to receive 3.5 million doses of AstraZeneca donation from the global donor, is in line for another 2.5 million doses, which would be shipped into Kenya in May, with the roll-out scheduled for June.

Kagwe said the Government, through the African Union, is planning to acquire 7 million doses of Pfizer and 10 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

Kenya’s vaccine storage technology is, however, not suitable for Pfizer vaccine which requires a -70 degree celsius environment. Kagwe said the country’s capacity which allows for storage of vaccines up to the -20 degree celsius temperatures will have to be improved.

India flights ban

Defending the Government’s April 28 decision to ban the Kenya-India flights, the CS said the Asian country has been adversely affected by the new wave of Covid-19, and that should the airspace be left open, chances of new mutations being imported into the country would increase.

The CS narrated an incident in which 13 persons who arrived into the country from India tested positive for Covid-19 despite producing certificates indicating they were virus-free.