Resolve health cash row
What you need to know:
- The reality is that health is a devolved function and should remain so.
- The common denominator for the two levels of government should be to improve services.
The national and county governments are embroiled in a fresh row over the management of the health function.
The national government wants to channel Sh4.6 billion, funds meant for the free maternity scheme, through the National Hospital Insurance Fund and not the counties.
This is supposedly because hospitals in the counties have been misappropriating the billions sent to them.
While there are legitimate concerns over corruption, it is important for the two levels of government to consult and find a lasting solution to the frequent friction over the management of health services.
The reality is that health is a devolved function and should remain so. The common denominator for the two levels of government should be to improve services.
In this instance, it may be more prudent for the national government to work with the county health authorities to set up systems that ensure efficiency and integrity. And if individuals entrusted with the funds are found to have been involved in impropriety, they should face the full force of the law.
Already, the two levels of government are locked in another dispute over the leasing of medical equipment at a cost of Sh38 billion. This is yet to be fully resolved as some governors feel they were not involved in the plans, which are obviously meant to improve healthcare.
Unfortunately, it is Kenyans who seek services in public hospitals, most of them too poor to afford private health facilities, who will suffer if there is a standoff. Such a situation is not only unnecessary, it is also undesirable.
