Nairobi Hospital fires CEO Pamba 6 months after appointment

 

The Nairobi Hospital board has fired CEO Dr Allan Pamba barely six months after his appointment.

In a letter dated October 2, board chairman Dr Irungu Ndirangu said Pamba's probation period would not be extended because he had failed to provide a performance improvement plan.

The letter read, "Please note that the letter  dated   I01h   September 2020    extending    your probation   period  up  to  12th December 2020 gave you up to 30th  September 2020  to acknowledge   and execute  the performance improvement plan."

"Unfortunately,    you  responded   on 29th   September 2020 and  requested  that  the  Board of Directors review your performance in line  with  the Board charter contrary to your letter  of appointment  which clearly states  that the Chairman   of the Board will review  your performance. Your failure  to execute Performance Enhancement    Plan  and the probation extension   letter  implied  your  lack of interest  to continue  working  for The Nairobi  hospital."

Irungu said the Board of Management sat on  October 2 and  resolved  not  to confirm Pamba, but  terminate his contract.

He will be paid two weeks in  lieu  of notice.

Pamba was further instructed to hand over all hospital property and clear with the human resource department.

Pamba was appointed as the CEO on March 4.

The latest move comes in a string of incidents where the hospital's CEO have had short stints at the facility.

Pamba had taken over from Christopher Abeid who was serving in acting capacity after Gordon Odundo was fired over a clash with the board.

Prior to his appointment, Pamba was vice president of global health at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) - a British multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Brentford, London.

Last year, the entire board of management was sent packing after an exceptionally stormy annual general meeting in November. 

Six members were fired following the audit of the Sh5.7 billion hospital expansion project launched in 2016. Four members had resigned in advance. 

The audit by Ernst and Young, discussed at the meeting, revealed procurement irregularities and conflicts of interest in the project. 

Consequently, a nine-member team was voted in during a special general meeting called by KHA.