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The Senate committee on Health has faulted counties for diverting conditional grants for Level-5 hospitals to other uses, saying the decision has undermined healthcare provision.
The committee said it will propose amendments to the Public Finance Management Act to channel the conditional grant directly to the hospitals instead of going through the county government's bank accounts.
"The general condition of health services has improved tremendously since it was devolved, despite some teething problems. Maternal and child mortality has dropped drastically but there is a lot that needs to be done," said committee chairman Mohamed Kuti at Leisure Lodge Hotel after a two-day tour of Mombasa health facilities.
Kuti also said that many counties were still grappling with huge debts inherited from the defunct municipalities, a move that has seen Kenya Medical Supplies Authority deny them medical supplies.
This has forced some counties to either procure medical supplies from private firms, at high prices, or fail to replenish the supplies.
The committee said that apathy among staff was affecting health service delivery, citing the case of nurses whose salaries have not been harmonised.
Kuti said the committee would hold a meeting between counties and the national government to unlock the impasse over the Sh.38 billion health equipment procured by the latter.
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