The Mombasa County government under Governor Hassan Joho has over the past few years made huge investments in the health sector that has seen improvement in the delivery of services to its residents.
Mr Joho said that improved services at the Coast General Hospital will rank among his greatest achievements as the governor of Mombasa.
Mr Joho said they had provided funds for the expansion and improvement of the hospital which is the largest referral health facility in the region with a 700 bed capacity.
Speaking during the County Dialogue Forum at Wild Waters, Mr Joho thanked the support of stakeholders who have made it possible for the county to improve its health services.
“As a regional hub, our medical services reach the entire population at the Coast. We will continue to invest in improved healthcare through partnerships with other players,” the governor said in a speech read on his behalf by county Sanitation Executive Fatma Awale.
Governor Joho further said that cooperation with players in the sector enabled the county combat emerging diseases, including the chikungunya outbreak.
Chief Health Officer Khadija Shikely who was also present said the county has built five new hospitals since devolution started.
Dr Shikely said residents are now receiving better and improved services as the county has hired seven new specialists, including a neurosurgeon, urologists and paediatric surgeons.
Dr Shikely however said the health sector is faced with major challenges including lack of enough funds that is affecting service delivery.
The health officer urged the government to provide enough funds to the hospitals to ensure Kenyans receive better and quality services.
“Lack of adequate funds is a major challenge facing the sector. Provincial hospital only gets a Sh400 million conditional grant from the national government yet it serves the entire Coast region. The national government needs to disburse more funds to the hospital for efficient service delivery,” she said.