Senators have expressed disappointment over the use of the Sh38 billion medical equipment leased out to counties by the national government under the Managed Equipment Service Programme.
A special Senate committee probing the use the equipment visited the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Elgeyo Marakwet county and Ziwa Subcounty Hospital in Uasin Gishu, among other facilities.
Chairperson Isiolo Fatuma Dullo said only MTRH had put the equipment, including CT Scans, to proper and effective use in supporting service delivery.
"We've seen very good work at the Moi Referral Hospital. They got the equipment under the MES programme and they have put it into very good and this serves as an example of good management at this hospital," Dullo said.
Dullo led a team of senators, including Kitui’s Enock Wambua and Margaret Kamar of Uasin Gishu, on the mission. Deputy Governor for Uasin Gishu Daniel Chemno was present.
At Ziwa Subcounty Hospital, the team found that some of the equipment listed by the Ministry of Health to have been supplied at Ziwa is missing, despite documents showing the equipment were delivered.
"We have noted poor documentation and poor record-keeping as concerns the equipment in many counties," Dullo said.
She said in some of the counties many of the equipment was still lying idle packed in boxes yet counties were paying sh 200 million annually for the equipment.
"This equipment was bought using taxpayers money and it’s wrong that they are not being used. They are so costly yet going to waste," said Dullo, adding that the problem had to be addressed urgently.
Some of the hospitals lack the required manpower to make the equipment operational. The senators expressed concern over congestion at the Moi Referral Hospital because of a lack of a county referral hospital in Uasin Gishu.
Wambua and Dullo said there was an urgent need for counties to be empowered in to be able to handle most medical cases that do not require referral to MTRH.
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital CEO Wilson Aruasa said although they need more equipment to improve health services there was a need to have all county facilities fully operational in order to ease congestion at the facility.
In the neighbouring Nandi county, the equipment at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital has been put to full use by Governor Stephen Sang’s administration.
"The equipment, including X-ray machines and CT Scans, have greatly helped us to cut the transfer of patients from our region to other areas seeking specialised care," Sang said.
