Ruto pledges Sh150 million to equip Butere County hospital as Barasa hails UHC boost

President William Ruto during the Commissioning of Butere level 4 Hospital ,Kakamega County.[PCS]

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has welcomed President William Ruto’s pledge to equip the newly commissioned Butere County Hospital, terming it a major boost to the county’s healthcare system and the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program.

Speaking during the commissioning of the hospital in Butere Constituency, President Ruto announced that the national government will allocate Sh150 million under the National Equipment Service Program (NESP) to furnish the facility with modern medical equipment.

 “The national government will spend Sh150 million to equip this hospital, which will be of great help to the people of this constituency and beyond,” President Ruto said.

The NESP, which replaced the Medical Equipment Service (MES) program after its expiry in December 2023, seeks to ensure that county hospitals across the country have continuous access to upgraded and well-maintained medical equipment at no upfront cost.

Governor Barasa praised the president’s commitment, noting that the support would enhance service delivery and ease access to quality healthcare for residents of the southern part of Kakamega County.

 “I committed to completing all projects initiated by my predecessor, Wycliffe Oparanya, because service delivery is my priority. This facility will now serve the people of the southern part of Kakamega,” Barasa said.

He further revealed that President Ruto had promised to release an additional Sh1 billion for the completion of the Kakamega County Referral Hospital within the next nine months.

"People will now seek full medical services here in Kakamega without having to travel to other counties,” the governor added.

Former Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who initiated the Butere County Hospital project in 2022, also expressed appreciation to his successor for completing the facility, saying it was gratifying to see continuity in development regardless of political differences.

Construction of the Butere County Hospital began in 2022 to address the long-standing challenges of inadequate healthcare services in Butere, Mumias, Khwisero, and Matungu constituencies.

With the facility now complete and set to be equipped, residents of Butere and its environs are optimistic that access to essential and specialized medical services will greatly improve.