Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba has approved a new law empowering more than 130 hospitals in the county to independently collect and use their own finances.
Khaemba signed the Facility Improvement Fund law that will enable dispensaries and health centres to use the money they get to improve their facilities.
Health executive Clare Wanyama says MCAs had supported the plan by passing the bill.
“Each facility will have its finances for managing health services. It will go a long way in reducing the turnaround time in terms of financing,” She said.
Speaking at her office, Wanyama said under the new law, the boards managing the hospitals which involve members of the public will ensure that the finances are well managed.
At the same time, Kenya Medical Supplies Agency is being blamed for an acute shortage of drugs and other medical supplies in hospitals in Trans Nzoia and other counties.
Wanyama said the law restricting counties to source their supplies from Kemsa forces counties to wait longer for drugs as hospitals face shortages.
However, she says the county had ordered drugs worth Sh65 million which will be delivered soon.
“I assure residents that the consignment of drugs and other supplies which we ordered are to be delivered in a day’s time,” Wanyama said.
She also said the county had rolled out biometric registration of more than 18,500 poor households to enrol with the National Hospital Insurance Fund to benefit from the Universal Health Care programme.
The county will use more than Sh111 million to support the initiative in collaboration with the national government.
She says the targeted families have already been identified and officers deployed to enrol them
NHIF is urging more Kenyans to come out and enrol so that they can benefit from the UHC plan.
Robert Otom from the fund says they are mobilizing Kenyans from poor families in all counties to enrol under the indigent programme aimed at boosting the UHC.
Otom says the NHIF offers a variety of covers to ensure all medical needs are catered for.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
