Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) board has suspended its CEO, Jonah Mwangi Manjari following allegations of irregular procurements using COVID-19 funds.
Mwangi has been suspended alongside Charles Juma (head of procurement) and Eliud Mureithi (commercial director) to allow EACC complete investigations into the matter.
According to KEMSA Board Chairman Kembi Gitura, the agency is committed to bringing back its lost glory. Operations Director Edward Njuguna will act in Capacity as the CEO while the EACC complete their investigations.
“There should be no reason to be alarmed on issues going on in the media and the public,” he said.
Read: Kemsa On The Spot For Procuring PPEs At Double Market Price
Last month, KEMSA was on the spot for procuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) at double the market price.
In a report by a local publication, the agency procured items at exorbitant prices amid the COVID-19 pandemic hence was just a scandal in waiting.
The agency reportedly procured N95 (1860) masks at an outrageous price of Sh1,300 per piece against the Sh700 market price and ordered 5000 pieces.
At the same time, it also bought KN95 masks at Sh700 per piece against the market price of Sh450, went ahead and ordered 1,836,400 masks.
Disposable masks that are sold at the market price of Sh50 per piece were also procured at Sh90 each.
Read Also: Dr Waqo Rigged Out Of The KEMSA CEO’s Job
During a grilling session by the National Health Committee, questions were raised to the agency CEO Jonah Mwangi on why they were procuring the PPEs at double the market price.
Dr Mwangi intimated that the agency was purchasing quality items unlike the ones in the market whose quality was uncertain.
This was unsubstantiated as in the recent past, health workers have come out guns blazing accusing the Health Ministry of supplying them with sub-standard protective gears hence exposing them to the risk of contracting the deadly COVID-19.
Consequently, as of today, the medical fraternity has also lost one of their colleagues,Dr Ndambuki Mboloi a senior pulmonologist.
Read Also: 526 Healthcare Workers Have Tested Positive For Coronavirus – CAS Rashid Aman
Through a tweet, Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), announced Ndambuki’s death and called for the compensation of health workers by the government.
“The medical fraternity is once again in mourning due to the loss of a Senior Pulmonologist Dr Ndambuki Mboloi who succumbed to severe COVID-19 disease. Condolences to the family. May his soul rest in eternal peace. GOK MUST roll out the Compensation of frontline Healthcare workers,” read the tweet.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874. You can also find us on Telegram through www.t.me/kahawatungu
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
