The issues that the Auditor General is talking about are matters that we had raised with the national government as governors.
We tried to explain that devolution was non-existent at the time the government was entering into a deal with the companies that were to lease the medical equipment.
When the contracts for the supply of the equipment were signed between the Ministry of Health and equipment manufacturers for leasing, counties were not established.
And then as devolution started to take shape, the equipment was brought to us without our involvement. We were entirely not involved in the matter.
The medical equipment was brought to the doors of our offices even before the national government or the companies asked us which type of equipment we thought we needed.
Two hospitals in each county were to receive the equipment. Indications were that the cost was to be met by both the national and county governments with the hope of bringing better healthcare services closer to the people.
However, because of our pressure, they have agreed to pay for the equipment without taking any money from us. So that now becomes their own problem.
Those are the issues we raised with them but since they have agreed to pay for the equipment, it is now not our concern.
What we would not want to happen is for the costs of the equipment to reflect as a conditional grant when the national government allocates funds to counties in the future.
It is important to note that just like the Auditor General, we had indicated to the national government that the deal was misguided from the beginning of the transactions.
The cost of the medical equipment had been highly inflated and the tendering process was not open.
The manner in which the equipment was sourced and deals sealed without our participation somehow undermined devolution because health is a devolved function.
As governors, we are in charge of health matters in our respective counties
Wycliffe Oparanya, the Council of Governors chair, spoke to the Star
