The counties are yet to receive any funds to fight the Covid-19 pandemic from the National Government, according to the Council of Governors.
CoG chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said the counties had set aside a total of Sh6.1 billion to fight the coronavirus in their supplementary budget.
"We have not received any funds towards Covid-19 fight from the National Government as erroneously reported in some quarters," Oparanya said on Wednesday in Machakos.
He criticised leaders pushing for health docket to revert to the National Government.
Oparanya, who is the Kakamega governor, said since devolution, healthcare services had improved compared to the past.
He said governors have ensured health facilities had more health workers and infrastructure.
He said 26 counties have installed a total of 209 ICU beds and 212 ventilators. Mass testing for Covid-19 had started in Nairobi and Mombasa.
The governor, who was accompanied by his Machakos, Isiolo and Kajiado counterparts Alfred Mutua, Mohammed Kuti and Joseph ole Lenku respectively urged Kenyans to show up in large numbers for mass testing.
He said the 5,550 health workers recruited last month will start reporting for duty this month.
Last week 43 counties received 86 oxygen tanks, 172 infra-red thermometers and 86 pulse oximeters to fight the pandemic.
Oparanya said the devolved governments were experiencing challenges in the procurement of medical supplies and equipment.
Mutua regretted that corrupt individuals had formed cartels at Afya House to benefit from healthcare funds.
"The reasons why some people are pushing for the healthcare department to be under the central government has nothing to do with provision of healthcare. Development partners are now funding health facilities directly after they realised the money is better used when channelled to the counties rather than going to the National Government," he said.
Lenku sought border lockdown to fight the virus. "This is a National Government function and it has to be dealt with urgently."
He said the escalating cases in Tanzania had sent shivers in Kajiado, which shares eight per cent of the neighbouring country's border.
Lenku said many Tanzanians were illegally entering Kenya through Namanga, Loitoktok and Shompole.
- mwaniki fm
