This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
July 7, 2020 - The Ministry of Health has long been plagued by corruption and cartels that have denied Kenyans access to affordable healthcare. However, with Health Cabinet Secretary Kagwe at the helm, there is hope for change.
According to Kagwe, the Ministry has been 'infested and infected' by cartels that have wreaked havoc on the country's healthcare system. These cartels have denied Kenyans the right to affordable medicine, free maternal healthcare, and even denied health care workers their much-needed remuneration.
One notable example of the Ministry's corruption is the $21 million dollars in aid that was denied by the US government in 2017 due to corruption reports and weakened accounting procedures. This weakened structure was deliberately created by cartels who were siphoning public funds from the Health Ministry.
As a result, hospitals have been left without basic healthcare equipment, and health workers have been denied a chance to have an increased pay. However, with Kagwe's vow to dismantle the cartels, there is hope for a change in the Ministry's fortunes.
With the ongoing war on corruption, Kagwe has the right backing from the government, and it is business unusual as these cartels will be uprooted from their hideouts.
