Kisumu County governor Jack Ranguma has condemned a proposal by National Assembly Committee on Implementation to revert health sector to National government.
Governor Ranguma, who is also the Chairperson of the Health Committee in the governor’s council, has asked members of National Assembly and Senate to stop meddling in the Health Sector affairs.
Speaking on Tuesday at Nyalenda Estate in Kisumu at the launch of Kisumu Integrated Family Health funded by the European Union and Care Kenya at a cost of Sh100 million, Ranguma said that tremendous progress had been made within a short period after the devolution of government.
Last weekend, a section of Senators and MPs called for the reversal of health services to national government and urged the State to implement recommendations of the health committee stating inability of some counties to manage the sector.
Health practitioners have, in a number of counties resorted to boycott their duties citing failure by concerned counties to pay them on time or provide requisite medical supplies.
However Ranguma cited improved emergency response and stocking of medicine in hospitals as some of the improvements made by county governments.
“Our surgeons at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital now enjoy operating on patients due to adequate equipment which was not available under the national government,” claimed Governor Ranguma.
He said that the counties have provided ambulances and free medical care to all patients in need adding “Ambulances are provided free of charge and can be accessed at any time.”
Ranguma also noted that health workers are on better payment scales in most counties and were receiving their salaries on time compared to when the national government was running the sector.
“Community health workers who for a long time have been struggling to make a living are now being paid by the counties,” said Ranguma.
He added that his government is working on a budget to employ community health workers on permanent basis.
The county government of Kisumu recently launched health ambulances to improve health care in the county.
The governor also thanked the First lady Margaret Kenyatta for supporting counties through her Beyond Zero Campaign on neonatal and maternal health.