By Ally Jamah
Controversy over the new NHIF rates took a new twist after a parliamentary committee accused a private hospital of receiving millions of shillings when it did not have hospitals in some listed parts of the country.
The committee said the National Hospital Insurance Fund ( NHIF) paid the hospital to offer outpatient medical cover for civil servants, yet it did not have facilities as it had purported.
Meridian Medical Centre CEO Peter Wambugu appears before Parliamentary Committee on Health in Nairobi, on Wednesday. [Photo:Jenipher Wachie/Standard]
It followed the Central Organisation of Trade Unionsâ (Cotu) threat of a national workersâ strike mid this month to oppose planned increase in NHIF monthly rates.
Wednesday, members of the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Health led by chairman Robert Monda (Nyaribari-Chache) claimed that Meridian Medical Centres and Hospitals received Sh116 million between January and March, for 19 outlets, but some of them were non-existent.
It emerged that Meridian received money from the fund on March 8, whereas several of its medical facilities opened later and that more than Sh30 million may have been paid for "ghost facilities".
fraudulent terms
The outpatient medical scheme for civil servants was rolled out in January, and NHIF was to pay suppliers at the beginning of each quarter.
Meridian CEO Peter Wambugu admitted that his Nyali and Meru branches opened doors last week, while branches in Kakamega, Malindi and Machakos were opened mid-last month. The dates for the opening of the Nyeri and Nakuru branches are not known, as relevant documents are lacking.
