Kisumu County has allocated Sh2.7 billion of its Sh10 billion budget to health as it seeks to boost healthcare with construction of new facilities and equipping of existing ones.
Although this is a three per cent reduction from last year's, the Governor Jack Ranguma remained optimistic that the docket would register enough transformation.
Kisumu County Fiscal Strategy Paper 2016 showed that Mr Ranguma planned to slash the health budget by three per cent from last year to fund programmes under the office of the governor.
The allocation to the office of the governor and county administration will be increased by over Sh178 million, with both recurrent and development expenditure being boosted.
The devolved unit has been bent on improving the health sector since the docket was devolved.
Last year, the county allocated Sh2.6 billion to Health, forming a third of the Sh9 billion budget.
In past speeches, Ranguma said they have established plans to handle the health function following challenges they encountered when the docket was transferred to counties.
Ranguma said his administration plans to put up maternity hospitals besides upgrading the existing sub-county health facilities to address health challenges.
“We have attached at least one community health worker in every hospital. We plan to hire more medical staff,” said Ranguma on the estimates.
He said the county recently received medical supplies and equipment worth Sh35 million which have boosted the health sector in the county.
“Lack of enough maternity hospitals creates a lot of challenges during delivery because they are overcrowded," he said.