We are doing our best with the little budget; Health CEC, CO Nandi say

Nandi County health CEC and CO, Ruth Koech and Fred Kiptum respectively, have come out to defend the health docket against claims of incompetence and misappropriation of funds.

From Left; Health CEC, Ruth Koech and CO Fred Kiptum (photo Courtesy)

Speaking at an online show hosted by Australian based Kenyan Alfred-Koech-Sergent, the two stated that the Sang administration had achieved a lot in the six years it has been in power. 

Unlike the previous administration, we focused mainly on equipping our existing health centers rather than building new ones. Said Ruth

Medical Equipment 

According to the CO, Fred Kiptum, the administration now has functional diagnostics machines. 

We can now carry out all kidney function tests at our Kapsabet Referral Hospital, something which never existed before.

The two stated that they now carry out 50 CT scans and about 5 MRI a day.

The CO also emphasised that the county’s referral hospital has a well equipped laboratory that is capable of carrying out various tests.

He also added that the county had 16 ambulances which were efficiently serving the residents and that the ambulances sometimes offer services to private hospitals on need basis. 

Drugs

The CEC clarified that the county was doing the best it could to ensure that drugs are delivered on time. She however stated that it was sometimes impossible to do so due to delays at KEMSA where every counties are required by law to procure their drugs from.

Sometimes you might hear patients complain about drugs in our health centres. This might be caused by delays or we might be in between distribution.

Nandi residents have on numerous occasions complained about the absence of drugs in local facilities and sometimes about the same in the county referral facility. 

Staff morale

Mr. Kiptum stated that since the current administration took office in 2017, it had carried out promotion of health workers twice.

In 2017, all the staff under the common cadre group were promoted. To this day, we have done promotions of the health workers twice.

Kiptum further stated that the administration had been able to employ and deploy professionals and specialists to the health department. He stated that the county had almost all cadres of specialists working at the county facilities.

Asked on what the county intended to do about the health workers whose contracts had expired, Mr. Kiptum stated that the issue was out of the executive's purview and that all matters relating to employment of county staff was a prerogative of the Nandi County Public Service board, subject to availability of slots.

Budgetary allocation

Mrs. Ruth stated that the county had allocated the health department about Ksh. 2.9 Billion which caters for both recurrent and development budgets. She stated that the amount was little compared to the functions being undertaken by the department.

When health was devolved, the subsequent vote was not fully devolved. You find that in most counties, the health function is quite underfunded compared to when health was still a national government function. We are working very hard as counties to compel the national government to fully devolve this function.

 She further stated that Sang's administration had embarked on four major projects which are ongoing including the mother and child hospital in Kapsabet which is near completion.

Sustained criticism 

The health department has been one of the most criticized function in Sang's administration. There have been claims of corruption, lack of drugs, poor infrastructure and claims of negligence among others.

Recently, governor Sang had to suspend heath CEC Mrs. Ruth Koech, CO Fred Kiptum and other health officers after allegations of negligence emerged. The issue enaraged residents prompting the governor to act. He constituted a committee to investigate the matter. The officers were finally reinstated after the allegations were found to be untrue.

Mrs. Koech stated that her department was open to criticism and that no matter how small the matter might seem, investigations had to be conducted.

When we receive complaints, we investigate whether the allegations are founded or unfounded.

On his part, Mr. Kiptum asked Nandi residents to be objective in their criticism. He also asked Alfred to highlight the successess of the County too.

In his closing remarks, the CO asked Nandi residents to frequently go for medical checkups at the county hospitals.