The proposed referendum to amend the Constitution should include reverting the health docket to the national government, Likuyani MP Enock Kibunguchy has said.
He said counties are unable to manage health services because of rampant misuse of resources and the tyrannical approach in handling staff matters by governors.
“Governors have turned counties into employment bureaus instead of acquiring necessary equipment and medical supplies to improve services. Kenyans should be asked whether they want governors or the national government to run health,” Kibunguchy said.
He said many counties allocate huge amounts to health but the money is not put to proper use. Most hospitals lack medicine, critical equipment and have a shortage of doctors.
He spoke on Saturday at Matunda SC Secondary School during a ceremony to celebrate the 2018 KCSE exam results.
Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala in his address to the Kakamega county assembly on Wednesday last week accused the county of diverting conditional health grants received from the national government to other uses.
He said only Sh67 million of Sh427 million conditional grants disbursed to the county referral hospital had been put to the right use.
Kakamega County General Hospital had 46 doctors in 2017. But in 2019, we only have 15 doctors and six are threatening to resign because of job group stagnation even after pursuing their Masters Degrees in various areas of specialisation.
Kibunguchy said Kakamega had increased treatment charges beyond the reach of residents, yet the services are still poor.
He also said the law should be amended to allow ministers to be picked from among MPs, not technocrats.
“The last seven years have demonstrated that technocrats do not understand the problems afflicting Kenyans and cannot therefore make the right decisions for them,” he said.
He said that technocrats have been misadvising the government on key decisions.
