Prof Olive Mugenda, the former Chairperson of the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral, and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) found a hard time in parliament as lawmakers questioned the hospital’s management.
Appearing before the Public Investment Committee on Education, Mugenda was confronted with a question on the eligibility of the facility’s CEO, Ahmed Dagane.
The Commitee’s chairman Jack Wamboka, posed the question seeking an explanation of Dagane’s qualifications.
“Is the CEO, a doctor,” Wamboka posed- making reference to the Health Act that prescribes eligibility standards for a hospital CEO.
However, Prof Mugenda struggled to answer the question and for some minutes engaged in an argument with the Bumula MP.
“What does the law provide for one to be a CEO of a hospital,” Wamboka stressed the question.
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In her response, Prof Mugenda said, “The law, I don’t remember but he must have a degree and a master’s but we followed a court order which says it has to be a person in the health profession.
According to Mugenda, the current CEO was appointed based on a court ruling where other health practitioners went to court seeking to be eligible for the position.
“Is the CEO a doctor,” the chairperson asked.
According to Health Act 2017, a person is qualified for appointment as the CEO to a hospital’s council if he holds at least a degree in medicine from a university recognized in Kenya and is registered by the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board.
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Further, the law stipulates that one should have at least ten years’ experience in the practice of medicine, five of which shall be experience at a senior management level.
KUTRRH vs KU controversy
The KUTRRH has in the past been caught in controversies including the heated conflict between Kenyatta University and the government in plans to take over part of KU’s land.
Further, the hospital was in the spotlight after a conflict with KU over a push to have the university’s students use KUTTRH facilities for their studies.
However, the hospital received accreditation to train KU’s medicine students following an intervention from the government.
