Senators have vowed to oppose attempts by the National Assembly to revert back the health service docket.
The Senators accused Members of Parliament of trying to kill devolution and insisted that they will push for more allocations in the health sector because services have greatly improved since they were placed under county governments.
Speaking when they toured the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) to access gains and challenges of devolution in the sector, the senate committee on health led by vice chair Zipporah Kittony said they were pleased with the progress Governor Ongwae’s administration has made in the past two years.
Senators Dr. Wilfred Machage, Catherine Mukite and Chris Obure hailed counties for improving health services despite poor funding by the national government and accused MPs for trying to create a perception that devolution is not working.
Dr. Machage regretted that the reduction of budgetary allocation to the KTRH from Ksh 211 million in the last financial year to Ksh 83 million this financial year is hindering service delivery in the hospital which serves a population of more than 4 million people. The hospital serves Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Homabay and parts of Narok counties.
“As a result of the reduction, many essential buildings have stalled. I demand that in the next allocation the hospital must receive more than Ksh 211million to enable completion of proposed projects,” said Dr. Machage.
Ongwae said all governors will thwart the move by the national government to snatch the sector from counties with an objective of branding devolution as a weak concept.
