Nyeri County allocates Sh2.8 billion to health services

Nyeri County government's offices. [File, Standard]

The county government has allocated Sh2.8 billion towards health services in the 2019/2020 budget.

Health services received the highest allocation followed by transport, public works infrastructure and energy department at Sh974 million.

With Nyeri County implementing the Universal Health Coverage Pilot project, Sh230 million will cater for renovation of all health facilities while Sh2.1 billion will cater for salaries and allowances of medical personnel.

The Sh7.6 billion budget statement was delivered by Finance and Economic Planning Executive Robert Thuo at the county assembly.

The devolved unit has allocated Sh5.2 billion to recurrent expenditure and Sh2.4 billion for development projects.

In a break from previous budget, the county had set aside at least Sh30 million for specific projects in each ward.

At least Sh543 million will be spent on access roads within the municipality.

To meet the condition of the Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP) which is a donor-funded programme, the county has allocated funds for development of infrastructure in Nyeri municipality.

“A total amount of Sh900 million is for construction and maintenance of roads, culverts and bridges. Out of this, Sh513 million will directly go to maintenance of access roads in all the wards under the ward specific projects,” said Mr Thuo.

The allocation of the roads covering wards within the municipality boundaries have been allocated under a newly created unit within the department of lands where KUSP is domiciled.

Finance department has an allocation of Sh577 million, with Sh100 million allocated towards early retirement in an effort to reduce the ballooning wage bill.

In the education department, a total of Sh100 million was allocated to Elimu Fund bursary programme.