West Pokot has enacted the Facility Improvement Bill to improve health facilities in the county.
Governor John Lonyangapuo recently signed the bill into law. The health sector was allocated more than 27 per cent of the total budget.
Lonyangapuo said more than Sh1.5 billion has been allocated to the sector.
“The bill will help improve infrastructure in our health facilities and reduce referrals of patients to hospitals outside the county. My government wants to ensure residents get accessible and quality healthcare near their homes,” he said.
Lonyangapuo said he had constituted a monitoring and evaluation team to help track delivery and usage of drugs. “I urge all officers to ensure the drugs are dispensed with utmost integrity and those found engaging in any foul play will be dealt with ruthlessly,” he said.
He also said he had installed CCTV cameras in hospitals to monitor the flow of drugs.
“Residents have been complaining that they lack drugs in our facilities, yet we procure drugs," he said.
The governor also said two theatres under construction at Kacheliba and Sigor subcounty hospitals are almost complete and will be opened by September 2019.
He said his government is also committed to ensure maternal deaths are reduced.
“Construction and equipping of maternity wings in rural facilities is ongoing to help enhance access to maternal care services,” he said.
On food security, he said his government had revived more than 1,000 acres Weiwei Irrigation Scheme to help reduce over-reliance on relief food.
“The county government ploughed, provided farm inputs and stood as the guarantor for the farmers at Kenya Seeds. We expect a bumper harvest in August."
The county government is determined to utilise the three seasons so that enough food is produced, he said.
Lonyangapuo also urged leaders to put their political differences aside and help transform the region.
“We need to support handshake as leaders and put our resources to maximum use," he said.
