A New CS for the Ministry of Health, Kenya

The New Health Cabinet Secretary (CS)

Susan N. Wafula, the new Health Cabinet Secretary, took over the helm at the Ministry of Health on Monday and promised to build on the ministry’s achievements while making improvements in some departments to provide Kenyans with high-quality healthcare. She has assured Kenyans that affordable health care will be the cornerstone of her leadership. Access to healthcare by citizens in the marginal areas of Turkana, North Eastern, Eastern, and coastal regions where standard treatment has been unreachable for a long time.

CS Wafula commended Senator Mutahi Kagwe for the smooth turnover in her inaugural speech at the handover ceremony at Afya House, Nairobi. She also acknowledged the great efforts of the health ministry personnel put to ensure that the transition from the previous regime goes without hitches.

The new health CS expressed her understanding that changing a regime is not always simple, but the procedures employed in the process are always necessary for the comfort of everyone involved, both the outgoing and incoming staff members.

Plans about the current health issues

It is unclear how the new CS is going to tackle the corruption menace that has engulfed the health ministry for a long time. Staff shortages across the country are the key problems leading to poor quality healthcare in Kenya for the common citizen who can’t afford to visit private facilities. Her speech did not cover any solution to this problem.

Drug shortages are a frequent inconvenience for public hospitals thanks to the notorious corruption techniques at KEMSA. This again did not feature in her speech. Other issues Kenyans were eager to see handled include poor working conditions among health workers and limited access to health insurance services worsened by the poor NHIF coverage.

The outgoing health CS Mutahi Kagwe promised to avail his support whenever he is needed at any time. He congratulated her for making it to the apex of the health ministry. He concluded his speech by handing several documents to her. They included and performance contract and the Health sector strategic plan.

The heads of directorates, prof Patrick Amoth and Susan Mochache, the principal secretary were also in attendance.

Expectations

The new Health CS, Susan Nafula, is expected to competently run the ministry of health for the next 5 years (2022 to 2027) while giving timely information to Kenyans such as covid-19 updates, pandemics and health situations in the country as soon as they arise.