Why Dr Patrick Amoth is still 'acting' director-general at MoH four years on
Dr Patrick Amoth, the health director-general at the Ministry of Health.
The year is 2023, and there is a new administration in place but yet again Dr Patrick Amoth is still acting as the health director-general at the Ministry of Health (MoH), despite his over 27 years of professional health experience.
According to a senior high-ranking official at the health ministry, Dr Amoth is a victim of the effects of structural development brought devolution in Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, and the Public Service Commission (PSC) which has dragged and delayed in confirming the new MoH structure so that it can be finalized and gazetted as the law dictates.
“This has nothing to do with Dr Amoth as a person but with the system. If you remember when the ministry got devolved, it meant that the organizational structures had to change so that the entire government aligns itself in view of the new Constitution,” the Official told Nation.Africa on Thursday.
“The Ministry of Health looked at its core functions as assigned by the constitution after which it submitted its new structure to PSC for confirmation but unfortunately PSC has sat on it and stalled the process for reasons known to them.”
The official added that upon confirmation by PSC, positions within the ministry will then be officially filled after a competitive process.
“The new structure the health ministry submitted to PSC has to be finalized and gazetted and only until this happens will all positions be officially filled after a competitive process as enshrined in the Constitution,” they said.
On Wednesday, as Health CS Dr Susan Nakhumicha made new changes in a restructuring process at Afya House, Dr Amoth yet again retained his position as the acting director-general, for the fourth year running.
Appointments
In 2021, Dr Amoth a University of Nairobi School of Medicine graduate who also holds a diploma in health systems management from Galilee College in Israel and is a renowned reputable consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist was appointed as the World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board chairperson during the 149th Session of the WHO Executive Board by the Union’s Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan.
The appointment came after in May 2020 Dr Amoth was elected Vice President of the same board representing the African region for a two-year term.
Dr Amoth was previously at the helm of the directorate of public health at MoH where he spearheaded strategy development and oversaw the delivery of health services in all 47 counties in the country. He played a part in the birthing and aligning of Universal Health Coverage under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
Nation.Africa reached out to PSC for comment but they declined to respond on the matter.
We further reached out to CS Nakhumicha but calls were diverted and she is yet to respond to messages.
