NAIROBI, Kenya, May 13 – Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended the Director General for Health, Patrick Amoth, following reports that the seasoned public health official is being sidelined within the Ministry of Health.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Health, CS Duale affirmed Amoth’s legal mandate as the government’s chief technical adviser on health, stressing that his role is both central and constitutionally protected.
“When I assumed office at the Ministry of Health 36 days ago, I reviewed Sections 16 and 17 of the Health Act and discovered that the office of the Director General was not being utilized optimally,” Duale noted.
He disclosed that he convened a meeting with all ministry directors and principal secretaries where he reiterated Dr. Amoth’s authority as the technical head of all directorates and divisions within the ministry.
“It is not me creating this roleit is the law.Some people have been made to believe that the DG has no meaningful role in the ministry. That is false. Everyone in that ministry, including myself, holds an appointment with defined roles. I expect each person to work within the bounds of that appointment,”he said.
The CS also outlined a clearer division of labor within the ministry, stating that while he will oversee policy direction, Ouma Oluga, the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, alongside other senior officials, will manage budgetary and operational responsibilities.
Duale’s remarks follow mounting concerns over internal frictions within Afya House, and allegations that Amoth who has served as Director General since 2018 and was a key figure in Kenya’s COVID-19 response has been increasingly marginalized.
“This is not about personalities.It is about ensuring that every officer operates within the framework of the law to deliver health services effectively to Kenyans,”Duale said.
