Barasa slams unions over push for health commission

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has told off doctors and pharmacists on their push to return to the national government.

Barasa who is the Council of Governors (CoG) chairman for Finance and Economic Affairs Committee chairperson said that health is devolved function

He insisted that there was no way health can be reverted to national government.

“We have talked with President William Ruto as governors and he has committed to ensure that all the monies meant for health will be sent to counties," Barasa said.

"Let all the workers under health remember that over 95 per cent id devolved."

He said that President Ruto is committed to ensuring that funds follow devolved functions to counties.

The governor was responding to a renewed push by health unions for the formation of a Health Service Commission.

The unions led by the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union on Thursday demanded for the commission.

The union argued that 10 years into devolution, there is a need to conduct an audit on the status of the health sector in the country.

"KMPDU believes that an honest audit of the status of the Kenyan Health Sector 10 years into devolution will reach one conclusion on the need for a body akin to the Health Services Commission to harness the deployment of critical personnel and to get our synergy in the sector," KMPDU secretary general Dr Davji Attellah said.

Atellah acknowledged that while counties have done well getting many of the lower-level non-skilled Health workers onto their roll, they continue to struggle massively.

These he said is attracting Medical doctors, Dentists and Pharmacists and their attendant Specialists in these fields to take services to the next level.

"It is time the Senate of the Republic of Kenya begun a critical audit of skills in our public health sector and try to match it with the vision of where the sector ought to be heading," he said.

He noted that conducting an audit will reveal a worrying mismatch where patients are increasing yet the counties are unable to attract and retain the crucial skills to render the specialised services these patients need.

Barasa said that his administration was committed to delivering quality healthcare services by ensuring uninterrupted supply of drugs and non pharmaceuticals and availability of health workers.