•This is as a result of the many East African Treaties to which Kenya is a signatory
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
A large number of patients from Uganda who come to seek healthcare services in Busia are piling pressure on public hospitals in the county.
As a result, the county's budget has been overstretched, Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi has said. He now wants the government to look into the issue.
“I'm made to understand that this is as a result of many East African Treaties to which Kenya is a signatory. The treaties allow the freedom of movement,” he said on Thursday.
The people seeking treatment include those in transit. They prefer going to public health institutions over the private ones because they are cheaper.
He said most of the patients seeking medical treatment suffer from common ailments such as malaria, water borne diseases, orthopaedic casualties, and infectious diseases.
The health sector, which is always allocated the lion’s share of the budget of about 30 per cent, has been facing challenges. They include poor infrastructure, lack of drugs and equipment.
This is because of the 30 per cent, 70 per cent goes towards payment of salaries, leaving little for development projects.
“Being located near the border, we also have threats such as that of Ebola from our neigbours and we would really like the government so support us in that,” Mulomi said.
Health CS Sicily kariuki last week reiterated that the success of Universal Health Coverage will depend on consistent and predictable financing.
The CS said that despite the government launching the UHC to cushion Kenyans in terms of accessing quality health care, out of pocket expenditure remains high, with households financing 27 per cent of all resources spent in the health sector.
To date a meagre 19 per cent of the Kenyan population is under some form of insurance cover.
Sicily said every year the national health accounts show that approximately 450,000 Kenyans face poverty as a result of seeking health care.