SIAYA, Kenya, Jun 21 — Health services in Nyanza region have virtually collapsed since the advent of devolution, National Assembly Public Accounts Committee Chairman Opiyo Wandayi has said.
Wandayi, the Ugunja Member of Parliament now wants governors who will be elected to replace those who have completed their terms to come up with strategies that will revamp the sector and give health care provision a priority.
Addressing the media in Siaya town on Tuesday, the MP specifically took issue with administrations in Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya and Kisumu counties, saying that most members of the public nowadays shy away from seeking services in public health care facilities in the counties.
“People are suffering a lot in these counties. It is either there are no drugs, the medical personnel are not available or are on strike, there is no electricity to run the essentials in the health care facilities and no equipment at all,” he lamented.
Wandayi said what the public has experienced in close to a decade under devolution was totally opposite what they expected.
“Health was devolved to counties because it is an essential service that is required at the very basic level” he said, adding that it was the hope of the framers of the constitution and Kenyans at large that the county governments will be equal to the task in handling the docket.
The PAC chairman said county executive committee members in charge of health docket must be compelled to ensure that health care services in their areas are a reality.
“If this is not done, our people will look down upon devolution which our leaders, led by Raila Odinga fought hard for,” he said.
Wandayi lamented the counties continued to give residents a raw deal despite receiving millions of shillings annually from the national government to fund health care services.
“Money is sent to the counties through the division of revenue process and conditional grants to enable the counties deal with health issues” he said, adding that the next governors must ensure that the people do not experience what they had gone through in the past regimes again.
