Lawmakers reject Sh4.2b biometric system for NHIF

Members of the National Assembly yesterday called for the immediate suspension of the Sh4.2 billion new biometric system that the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) plans to buy.

The MPs, who sit in the departmental Committee on Health made the declaration after acting NHIF Chief Executive Samson Kuhora revealed that the current system cost them Sh1.6 billion.

At a meeting between them and Kuhora, the law makers argued that it would be wrong for the fund to procure such an expensive system at a time when the country is facing economic difficulties.

Led by the chairperson, Endebess MP Robert Pukose, the committee members said that they will summon the ICT Principal Secretary to explain why they need a new system.

Said Pukose: “We have said that we will call a meeting with NHIF, PS ICT and service providers who were contracted to service this old system to know why they want to procure a new one.”

He added: “When a claim of Sh 4.2 billion is put at this time when our economy is struggling, we feel that this is unacceptable and wrong and that is why we want to go deeper into this matter.”

In his statement, Pukose demanded an explanation from Kahuro on the exact gaps that they have noted to warrant the need to procure a new system.

According to him, the ICT director in the fund should provide details of how the current system works after it emerged that the commission had in the last five years been upgrading it.

“When you say that there are gaps in the system, what are these gaps that you are talking about that you want upgraded?” he posed.

Pukose was responding to Kuhora’s statement that there were gaps in the current system which necessitated an upgrade.

Kuhora, who had appeared before the Committee, which is investigating the problems at the national health insurer, also gave a breakdown of the status of the eight hospitals whose contracts with NHIF were recently suspended over alleged malpractices.

According to a document that he tabled before the committee, the fund had recovered Sh360,698 from Jekim Hospital which was suspended after an audit established that it was making claims using wrong codes, had missing records while students were being transported from schools to get treatment at the facility.

At Amal Hospital and Beirut Pharmacy and Medical Centre, the audit reveals that there was a mismatch of hospital and NHIF records and that there were inconsistencies in patient notifications and procedures carried out on patients.

The probe also revealed that the hospital performed major surgical claims from a big number of employees from the same company yet indications were that the affected members were at work.

Regarding St Peters Orthopaedic and Surgical speciality in Kangemi, the documents show there were cases of impropriety by the facility as it was paid Sh379 million yet it was a level four hospital and was not supposed to offer specialised orthopaedic services.

According to the document, 57 claims emanating from the hospital amounting to Sh11.2 million had discrepancies between NHIF records and hospital file, while another eight out of the 47 beneficiaries confirmed to have been picked from their homes and returned by hospital vehicle after undergoing specialised surgeries.

On Jekim Hospital, Nkubu, Joy Nursing Maternity Eastleigh and Afya Bora hospitals, the document shows that they are currently under investigation.