Duale targets salaries of ghost workers in UHC, orders refunds and vows prosecution

Duale Cracks Down on Ghost Workers in UHC Programme, Vows Prosecution and Recovery of Salaries

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a stern warning to ghost workers within the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme, saying they will be prosecuted and compelled to refund salaries earned over the years without performing any duties.

Speaking on Friday, August 1, during the official flagging off of 316 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) graduates at Afya House in Nairobi, Duale revealed that the Ministry of Health had launched a thorough verification process to clean up the UHC payroll.

“We are doing vetting and verification. I already have the budget approved by Parliament to make UHC staff permanent and pensionable. But don’t rush me,” he stated.

The Cabinet Secretary said thousands of ghost workers had been discovered during the ongoing audit and warned that individuals who are not qualified nurses but have been earning from the UHC programme will face the full force of the law.

“So far, the number that we are seeing and the number of people who were being paid… there are thousands of ghost workers,” said Duale.

“Before being confirmed permanently, if you are not a nurse by profession and you’ve been earning under UHC all these years, you will meet the law. You have to refund that money.”

The CS assured UHC staff that the vetting process is in its final stages and that eligible personnel would be absorbed into permanent and pensionable terms beginning next week.

The issue of ghost workers has also been flagged at the county level. Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthoni Njuki, who chairs the Council of Governors’ Health Committee, recently raised alarm over more than 3,000 ghost workers in the county’s health department, all reportedly under the UHC programme.

Duale also defended the Ministry’s decision to revoke offers made to more than 300 nursing interns, noting that some of the beneficiaries had not yet graduated, despite receiving placement.

“We recalled them because they were posted through systemic graft. Some had completed their courses but hadn’t graduated. Completion is not graduation,” he emphasized.

“If you only have a completion letter, we will not post you as an intern. You will only be posted when you graduate and show us the certificate.”

The Ministry’s move is part of broader efforts to uphold accountability in the health sector and ensure that only qualified and verified professionals benefit from government programmes.