KAKAMEGA HEALTH FACILITIES DRAW CS KAGWE’S ADMIRATION

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe today heaped praise on Kakamega’s impressive health facilities, saying they stood out as testimony to the county’s COVID-19 preparedness.

He said with a capacity of over 300 beds in the three COVID-19 isolation centres in Likuyani, Mumias and Kakamega Teaching & Referral Hospital, Kakamega County is among 33 counties that have met the 300 ICU & Isolation bed capacity threshold as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

KAKAMEGA Governor H.E. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya today hosted Hon. Kagwe and his devolution counterpart Hon. Eugene Wamalwa at the multi-million Kakamega Teaching & Referral Hospital in Kakamega where he expressed his gratitude to the National Government and the Health CS in particular for supporting counties in the fight against the pandemic.

“Due to Ifmis system procedures we have not began utilizing the Shs. 262 million we received from the National Government as a conditional grant to help in the fight against Coronavirus in the County. We are however well on course with utilization of the Shs. 105 million my government allocated to the County COVID-19 kitty,” the Governor explained.

With a 31 percent budgetary allocation of the entire Kakamega County budget and 3000 staff establishment, health is one of the highest funded sectors in the County.

The Governor disclosed that Kakamega has submitted a request to the Ministry of Health to be considered as a COVID-19 testing centre. Currently the County depends on KEMRI-Kisumu for sample testing.

“We have 6 GeneXpert machines stationed in various facilities across the County and only lacking reagents to start conducting our own COVID-19 tests,” he said.

Governor Oparanya who is also the County co-chair of the COVID-19 Committee said Kakamega has well trained and equipped health personnel stationed in all the COVID-19 designated centres. “In partnership with the Kenya Red Cross, we have also trained 4000 volunteers on community sensitization and on how to handle Coronavirus patients,” he added. The County boss praised health practitioners in all the health facilities for performing their duties as expected, particularly those at Mumias COVID-19 facility for exemplary dedication and professionalism while attending to COVID patients.

Hon. Kagwe congratulated Governor Oparanya for putting in place a robust health system in Kakamega County. He said Kakamega has made great sides in the health sector and called on local leaders to stop politicising development matters.

“This structure standing behind us will not only be a Kakamega County Project but also a National and Regional health facility,” he said in reference to the ultra modern Kakamega County Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The event was also attended by Deputy Governor H.E. Prof. Philip Museve Kutima, National Assembly Majority Whip Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe, Regional Commissioner Anne Ng’etich, County Commissioner Pauline Dola, Ag. Director General Patrick Amoth, CECMs, Chief Officers and other senior government officers from both levels of government.