Pressure is mounting to the ouster of embattled Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha after a group of women parliamentarians drawn froma cross the political divide urged president Ruto to immediately send her packing.
They cited the health sector’s ongoing challenges, including the current doctor’s strike and the discontinuation of the Linda Mama program, which covered delivery fees for women from low-income households.
Former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta initiated the Linda Mama program under the Universal Healthcare system to support expectant mothers and infants.
They claimed Nakhumicha had left pregnant women on their own as hospitals are not admitting them to deliver because the card is no longer operational.
Led by MPs Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Gathoni wa Muchomba (Githunguri), Zam Zam Mohammed (Mombasa Woman Rep) and Gertrude Mbeyu (Kilifi Woman Rep), the MPs argued that compounded by the current doctors’ strike, expectant mothers who are due either in late April, May and June are staring at a crisis as they have nowhere to go.
However, its cessation has raised concerns about increased mortality rates across the country.
Suba North representative Millie Odhiambo emphasised the need for Nakhumicha’s resignation, citing her failure to fulfill her duties.
The call comes days after church leaders called for the resignation of Nakhumicha and her counterparts Mithika Linturi (Agriculture), Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads and Transport and Davis Chirchir of Energy over failure to deliver on their mandate.
On her part, Odhiambo expressed frustration, stating, “You are embarrassing us as fellow women… we want to protect you but you can’t be the one sabotaging fellow women.” She said.
Kilifi women representative Gertrude Mbeyu echoed the sentiment, urging Nakhumicha’s removal due to the discontinuation’s adverse impact on maternal health.
Mbeyu emphasized the need for accountability, demanding data on affected mothers since the strike began.
“The embarrassment you have brought to us is enormous, how do we support you with our mothers suffering,” she posed, “I will be the first one to say Nakhumicha must go, we want numbers of how many mothers have been affected since the strike began.”
The Ministry explained the program’s discontinuation as part of the transition to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), set to replace NHIF.
Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba criticized the decision, labelling it reckless and highlighting the consequent gap in maternal healthcare support.
Wamuchomba questioned the delay until July for pregnant women to receive essential services.
‘’That leaves a serious gap and that gap is what is causing a lot of pain to our mothers, we are wondering should the pregnant women wait until July?” Posed Wamuchomba.
Previously under NHIF, the Linda Mama program aimed to provide maternal and child health clinics.
Now, the SHIF will assume these responsibilities, according to Health Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha.
The sentiments by the MPs came hours before Nakhumicha addresses the national assembly this afternoon to shed light on the ongoing doctors strikes.
Speaker Moses Wetang’ula yesterday told MPs they will be given adequate time to raise all the questions they have on her. “Tomorrow we will be having the CS here, I will be giving you an extra one hour to raise all the questions that you have on her.”
Nakhumicha is scheduled to respond to a question from Westlands MP Timothy Wanyonyi who sought to know why there are delays in posting of intern doctors.
“Delay in posting of medical interns and implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2017 between the Government and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists & Dentists Union.” Today’s afternoon order paper read in part.
And while addressing the news conference yesterday, the MPs told Nakhumicha to stop putting them in a situation where they are unable to defend her.
They told her to prepare to table statistics of how many pregnant mothers or their babies have died during delivery when she appears before plenary this afternoon.
They argued that being a mother, she should have come up with a stop gap measure that should have been adopted as they wait to operationalise the new scheme.
Odhiambo gave Nakhumicha five days to sort out the current issue with the cards in order to ensure that pregnant women get the required medical care.
She said: “If me who is not a mother can feel the pain of a mother why not you Nakhumicha. As women we want to protect you but we cannot do that because you have put us in a very bad situation. Please sort out this issue within the next five days.”
Wa Muchomba said that the situation on the ground is serious as pregnant mothers who are vulnerable have nowhere to go as hospitals are not admitting them.
She said: “It is ignorant for us to assume that women who are scheduled to deliver in April, May and June have to wait until July when the new health Insurance scheme comes into effect.
