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The national government has not reimbursed public health facilities in Nakuru County over Sh100 million meant to cater for free maternity.
As a result, the county has admitted that the project, which was part of the Jubilee government flagship projects, could collapse unless urgent action is taken.
The most affected are dispensaries and health centres that offer maternity services, with some contemplating charging patients because they have not received the funds since June last year.
Investigations have revealed that the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital is owed over Sh50 million, Naivasha Sub-county Referral Hospital Sh60 million, Molo Sh8 million and Gilgil Sh10 million.
financial crisis
Officers, who declined to be named, said it is almost impossible to offer the free maternity services due to the current financial crisis.
“For every delivery, a hospital is supposed to get Sh2,500 compensation but the national government has not remitted these funds from June 2014 straining our services,” an officer said.
County Health Executive Mungai Kabii admitted that there was a major crisis over non-remittance of the funds. Dr Kabii said the hospitals were being forced to use the revenue collected in the hospitals to support the free maternity services thus affecting other sectors.
He admitted that the Sh2,500 compensation fee from the Government was too little to cover free maternity.
Last month, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero admitted that the free maternity services in the county faced challenges over failure by the national government to remit Sh165 million.
TAKE ACTION
The governor noted that for the past nine months, the Health ministry had failed to remit cash for free maternity to the county.
“We have written to the ministry which has promised to take action so that the issue of free maternity is not affected,” Dr Kidero said.
The county chief termed the issue as serious but downplayed fears that the initiative could collapse.
“Though the high debt is affecting service delivery we are confident that the issue will be resolved amicably,” Kidero assured.
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