It is ‘Afya House’ now, not ‘Mafia House,’ CS Kagwe says of Health Ministry reforms

MALINDI, Kenya, Jan 20 – Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe now says drastic reforms at the Ministry of Health have borne fruit, transforming it from ‘Mafia House’ to ‘Afya House.’

Speaking during a meeting with the Kenya Editors Guild in Malindi on Thursday, the Health CS assured that cartels that used to be prevalent have been abolished.

He further indicated that the Ministry’s outlook has also improved exponentially and affirmed that staff are committed to the provision of efficient service delivery.

“We are Afya House and not Mafia house, and you can take that to the bank,” he emphasized. “The reforms within the Ministry are cross cutting and there is not step we are not willing to take to ensure Kenyans get value for their money.”

“Whatever reforms are necessary, yes, it is true, there is a clean up process going on at KEMSA and it might mean that we my have to re-engineer KEMSA as a tight-fitting unity so that there is efficiency,” he stated.

Editors Guild president Churchill Otieno in the meantime has urged the ministry to be accountable in its use of resources especially as it fights the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also called for a curative approach to healthcare as opposed to preventive an approach that Kagwe agreed with.

“We have learned that hygiene is also very important. Sanitizing, washing hands, nobody would have imagined that they are that important,” he said.

The CS said nowadays, it is hard to get someone with a serious cold. If you cough people think you have Covid. Few people are coughing because we have improved our hygiene standards, he said.

In the meantime, the CS announced that Kenya will soon start manufacturing vaccines after the Ministry of Health completes the establishment of a Biovax plant at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) grounds in Embakasi.

“It will be situated at the KEMSA grounds in Embakasi. We have taken about three go-downs where that equipment will be put. We are in the process of renovating those go-downs, changing the place and securing the area,” Kagwe said.

“So, we will not be putting up new buildings for now so that the money that we have 2.5 billion will be used for installation alone.”

CS Kagwe assured Kenyans that the ministry will only work with the best experts to ensure manufacturing and storage of vaccines is up to the highest standards