Governors halt medical equipment leasing deal
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha Wafula. The governors want the replacement of faulty and old equipment as well as the transfer of technology for maintaining them.
Governors have suspended any new managed equipment services (Mes) lease agreements until their conditions are met by suppliers.
The county chiefs want compensation for equipment that has been idle in counties yet they were paid for by the devolved units.
Further, the governors want the replacement of faulty and old equipment as well as the transfer of technology for maintaining them.
They also want an end to the monopoly of consumables for operating the equipment before extension of any contract.
The new development follows a meeting between the Council of Governors (CoG) Health committee and Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha yesterday.
Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, the chairperson of the committee, said the council resolved to suspend any new agreement on Mes until the conditions are met.
“As a council, we have also called on the Health Cabinet Secretary not to sign any fresh deal that will compel counties to use taxpayers' monies,” Mr Njuki said.
Audit
Further, he said, CoG wants an audit of the equipment performance for the past seven years as most counties have returned unsatisfactory results.
Mr Njuki said the programme had a lease agreement for seven years, but there is a proposal for a three-year extension without stakeholders’ involvement.
“In our review of terms of engagement as the Council of Governors, we want consultations that will, in the end, lead to mutual benefit,” said Governor Njuki.
For her part, CS Nakhumicha said they have agreed with the governors that the programme must meet its objectives.
“We have discussed and agreed that it is no longer going to be a mess, but it is going to do the work it was supposed to do — that is to offer health services to Kenyans. I want to confirm to patients that there is not going to be any lapse in service delivery as we negotiate this new contract,” said Ms Nakhumicha.
During the retreat in Diani where CoG’s Health committee has been meeting stakeholders on enhancing universal health coverage, Mr Njuki said governors agreed to increase and optimise investment in healthcare, with the total budget allocation to health currently averaging 30 per cent.
“The Ministry of Health and the council agreed to establish a task force to look at the transition of staff before the expiry of their contracts. This is to ensure continuity of service delivery by the staff,” he said.
On the microwave medical waste treatment project, Mr Njuki said the ministry agreed to fast-track implementation of its obligations under the commercial contract to construct the infrastructure and related facilities for installation before further shipments and deliveries are made to the counties.
He added that the two parties agreed to provide a sustainable mechanism for providing stipends to community health volunteers (CHVs), where the national government resources will be channelled to counties as a conditional grant towards CHV remuneration.
“We will amicably resolve the issue of the emerging establishment of health authorities and other institutions in the health sector with a view to aligning those with the devolved system of governance,” he added.
