The National Assembly's Health Committee will push to have the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu upgraded to level 6.
The committee will engage the national government and Health ministry to fast-track the process.
This follows concerns by the leaders on the need to upgrade the facility to be taken over by the national government and given adequate funding to offer quality services.
Deputy Governor Matthews Owili said the county is looking forward to the elevation of the facility, saying such a move will come with many advantages.
“We have quite a number of patients getting treatment from facilities outside this region. I think its time for us to make it happen for the sake of the people so that the treatment they are seeking elsewhere will be provided right here,” he said.
He said Governor Anyang Nyong'o is committed to ensuring this dream is realised in the shortest time possible.
The facility serves the larger Nyanza region but lacks the necessary facilities, forcing patients to be transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret and Kenyatta National Hospital, which are run by the national government.
Committee vice-chairman Joshua Kutuny said the facility, which is one of the oldest is qualified for an upgrade. The hospital was built in 1969.
Kutuny said it handles large numbers of patients hence must be adequately funded to offer quality services.
“There is a need for the hospital to be taken over by the national government. We are aware that this hospital not only handles patients from Kisumu, Siaya, Migori and Homa Bay but also from as far as Kericho, Kakamega, Busia and Nandi counties,” he said.
“The committee is in agreement."
Kutuny said the committee was concerned about the inadequate funds released to the facility by the government which he said has affected services.
The facility, he said, is in the same league as KNH "but it's unfortunate that whereas KNH receives Sh1 billion, this one gets only Sh400 million".
Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino said they are saddened that the hospital is still at level 5.
“We are losing out and putting the burden on families travelling long distances for services that can be availed here. We have agreed that this is long overdue and will take it up to ensure its upgraded," Owino said.
The committee has begun investigating the utilisation of Covid-19 funds in Kisumu and pledged to be firm and truthful.
"We have called the ministry and Kemsa and are in counties to investigate how the funds were utilised," Kutuny said.
He said Kisumu has been allocated more than Sh160 million and that lawmakers want to know how it was spent.
Edited by R.Wamochie
