State stops Sh32 billion grants to eight counties

The Government has stopped disbursement of Sh3.2 billion in conditional grants for financing operations of former provincial hospitals in eight counties.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said each one of the eight counties was getting Sh400 million from National Treasury for facilitating medical services at the facilities located at former provincial headquarters before health was devolved.

"The National Government has announced stopping the conditional grants starting this financial year," said Oparanya who served as the Council of Governors chairman for two terms.

He said the decision was arrived at after it emerged that counties have established modern referral hospitals. The county chief made the remarks during an induction training for the newly appointed members of the Kakamega County Referral hospital yesterday.

He said affected counties including Kakamega will be forced to factor a similar allocation in their 201/2022 financial year budgets to ensure the hospitals continue with their operations smoothly.