Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has weighed in on the debate where health unions are pushing to have health reverted back to the national government.
Healthcare is a devolved function which means that county governments are entrusted with all functions related to health care while the national government is responsible for health policy.
The national government is also responsible for the national referral health facilities such as Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV, Njuki who is also the chairperson Health Committee at the Council of governors said doctors are better off in the counties noting that reverting health back to the national government will lead to a dysfunctional system.
“You are better when you are with the county governments. In the same way, they delay our resources, what will happen if you come back to the national government? You will be going for six months without salaries,” he said.
“Like right now we are three months behind disbursement for December and now we are in March and us we have a voice because we are backed by the Constitution.”
The governor further said it will be hard for the national government to pay healthcare workers working at the lowest levels in the villages yet being supervised by an employee of the county government.
“It is not possible for you to have one person who normally pays the piper but they do not call the tune,” he noted.
Njuki said that devolution has made it possible for counties to negotiate better terms with SRC at individual levels thus ensuring Kenyans have access to quality healthcare.
