Governors, Unicef to monitor use of health funds

Council of Governors Chairman Peter Munya (right) addresses journalists at Hiriga village in Nyeri on May 29, 2016. Mr Munya said that 10 counties have been selected for a pilot project that involves marketing of better hygiene. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The partnership is aimed at appraising the use of monies sent to counties to improve hygiene in schools under the Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) programme.
  • The programme is aimed at ending open defecation by advocating use of clean and safe toilets in rural schools as well as washing of hands after using a toilet.

Counties have partnered with Unicef to help audit the use of donor health funds, governors' chairman has said.

The partnership is aimed at appraising the use of monies sent to counties to improve hygiene in schools under the Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) programme.

Council of Governors Chairman Peter Munya said in a statement on Sunday that 10 counties have been selected for the pilot project with the rest to follow.

The selected counties include Nakuru, Mombasa, Turkana, Siaya and Garissa. Others are Kakamega, Nyeri, Kitui, Migori and Kisii.

“In the 10 counties, the County Expenditure Review will look at the budget, flow of resources from the National Government to County Governments and the benefit to the lives of the people,” Mr Munya, the Meru governor, said.

“The Council of Governors held a consultative meeting with representatives from the UN Women, Unicef and the World Bank with the aim of creating a partnership among the four institutions, to carry out a county expenditure review for the 10 selected counties in Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash),” Mr Munya added.

The programme is aimed at ending open defecation by advocating use of clean and safe toilets in rural schools as well as washing of hands after using a toilet.

The review comes as a relief to residents of 47 counties in a country where an estimated eight million people lack proper toilet facilities, leading to open defecation.

The severe impact of this situation on human health is diarrhoea, which kills more than 1.5 million children worldwide each year, USAid notes.

Mr Munya said that, to help to implement the expenditure review, a proposed steering committee will be created to give policy direction and look into the progress.

“The steering committee will include the Council of Governors, UN Women, Unicef, the World Bank, Controller of Budget, The National Treasury, Ministry of Health and representatives of the 10 counties,” he said.