Busia, state partner to boost services, growth, says Otuoma

Busia Governor Paul Otuoma has commended the national government for its continued support of development projects in the county aimed at improving service delivery.

The governor, who hosted a delegation from the ministries of Defence and Health led by the PSs Patrick Mariru (Defence) and Harry Kimtai (Medical Services), said his administration will continue to partner with President William Ruto’s administration on key priority areas to spur growth.

The team was in Busia on Wednesday to assess the status of the Sh100 million male surgical ward at the Busia County Referral Hospital that was constructed by the Kenya Defence Forces. It was built through a partnership between the national and county government.

“We are grateful that the facility alone has increased the bed capacity at our main referral hospital from 200 to 296. However, the hospital is still experiencing operational gaps that will require concerted efforts to address,” Otuoma said.

The governor said apart from additional health personnel, which his administration is working on to hire and equip key areas, the hospital also needs proper certification to attain the status of a level 5 facility.

“As much as here in the county there were pronouncement that the hospital is a level 5, we are not there yet,” Otuoma added.

Kimutai assured the governor that the national government will continue supporting the county in equipping the ward and additional personnel for effective service delivery.

“We initially equipped the hospital with equipment worth Sh12 million but this status update will open up ways for more support from line agencies,” he said.

Mariru lauded the two levels of government for entrusting KDF with construction work of the block that was completed in a record time.

Other collaborative development projects in the devolved unit include County Aggregation and Industrial park in Nasewa (Matayos subcounty), Kenya Medical Training College in Amagoro (Teso North), the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Scheme and Fish Landing site in Bunyala subcounty, among others.

President Ruto is expected to visit the county on Saturday.

Early July, the governor said plans are ripe for the relocation of Busia Polytechnic to a different site to create space for the expansion of Busia County Referral Hospital.

Part of the land will accommodate a Sh200 million building.

The structure will accommodate a sickle cell treatment facility and a section that will attend to mental health.

“We are going to change the way we do things, even if it means to declassify this hospital (BCRH) so we aspire to be where we are supposed to be and give ourselves timelines to do that,” Otuoma said.