The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health chaired by Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose (Endebess) heard that a letter authored by the Head of malaria unit at the Ministry of Health allegedly raising an alarm about an error in the Global Fund advertising tender may have led to the botched procurement of Kshs.3.7 billion worth of anti-malaria nets. 

It is believed that the inclusion of the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) combinations, which is inconsistent with the earlier tender specifications, may have been intentional to sabotage the procurement of Malaria nets by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

According to Dr. Andrew Mulwa, the Head of Preventive and Promotive Health Services at the Ministry of Health, the director responsible for malaria and other programs in the Ministry allegedly informed his office about the missing requirement of PPO combinations in the insecticide specifications as advertised. 

"I advised the Head of the Malaria Program to send me a memo on this issue. He indeed prepared the memo, but unfortunately, it did not reach my office. Instead, it was acted upon by Dr. Josephine Mburu, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, leading to the extension of the tender," explained Dr. Mulwa.

 Dr. Mulwa added that at the program level, his office had no visibility of the communication between the National Treasury, KEMSA, and the Global Fund regarding the specifications concerning color and dimensions.

"We had specified blue-green or blue for the color. However, the Treasury, KEMSA, and the Global Fund agreed on a rectangular shape and a blue collar. Similarly, for PBO, we had specified Pyrethrins or PPO, but the Global Fund and Treasury settled on the balance sheet. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of these decisions," he explained.

He further defended the head of the program, stating that he lacked visibility because there was no communication between the Treasury, KEMSA, and the Global Fund regarding the color to be procured.

"So, his advice was based on the assumption that we had given a generic document and expected it to be followed. I advised him to document it in writing, and he did so. However, it somehow did not pass through my office, and the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards acted upon it," Dr. Mulwa clarified.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health Ms. Susan Nakhumicha supported Dr. Mulwa's statement, stating that the Global Fund did not agree to extend the advertisement because their specifications did not include PPO as part of the original document.

However, Hon. (Dr.) Pukose raised concerns about how the Head of the Malaria Unit advised the Principal Secretary to include PPO, while simultaneously seeking Dr. Mulwa's advice, which led to the recommendation to write a memo to the Principal Secretary.

"But this memo was supposed to be sent to your office, yet it never reached you. This is where the issue of the botched malaria net procurement stands," said Hon. (Dr.) Pukose.