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By Antony Gitonga
Naivasha, Kenya: Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) James Macharia has warned that the funds allocated to the ministry are less than a quarter of what it needs.
Prof Macharia, who was sworn in last week, said that the National Treasury allocated Sh34.7billion against the required Sh160 billion.
He was, however, quick to note that the difference could be addressed through the devolved Government and development partners who were committed to assisting the country.
Macharia said that the World Bank had expressed its willingness to raise their funding to the ministry from the current $400 million to $1 billion.
On notice
He put on notice staff in the ministry, saying that issues of inefficiency and accountability must be addressed immediately.
Macharia said that the ministry had good policies, adding that the biggest challenge it faced was in the implementation.
“Issues like maternal health can be easily achieved through devolution, by first addressing those vulnerable people in the rural areas,” he said.
The CS was speaking in Sawela Lodge in Naivasha during a meeting with governors on key devolution issues in the health sector.
He admitted that the sector faced various challenges like disparities that exist across the country in terms of access to various components of health care.
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, who was present, accused the Central Government of allocating counties too little money to deal with health issues. He noted that despite devolving 70 per cent of functions to counties, they had allocated only 33 per cent of the funds.
“These funds will only be used to pay doctors and we call for an increase of funding to 70 per cent so that issues affecting the health sector can be addressed by the devolved governments,” said Mr Ruto.
Failed to materialise
Ruto, who is also president of the Governor’s Summit, took a swipe at the treasury for allocating a partial Sh1billion to counties towards Early Childhood Development (ECD).
“Each county will receive Sh22 million towards ECD and this money is expected to pay teachers, buy learning material and improve infrastructure,” he said.
He said that the governors’ efforts to have a national Government budget and economic council meeting had failed to materialise.
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