The Senate Health Committee has raised concerns over staff shortages, underused funds, and poor maintenance in public health facilities following an oversight visit to Nakuru, Baringo, Elgeyo-Marakwet, and Nandi counties.
The tour, led by Senator Jackson Mandago, was part of the committee’s mandate to assess service delivery, infrastructure, and resource use in county health systems.
Across the facilities visited, senators found overcrowded wards and long patient queues, which they attributed largely to a shortage of healthcare workers.
Mandago said the situation requires urgent intervention.
“We need sufficient personnel and adequate equipment in our health facilities to guarantee quality healthcare,” he stated.
How are counties using Facility Improvement Fund?
The committee also flagged weak utilization of the Facility Improvement Fund (FIF), noting that some hospitals were not fully using the resources available to them.
Members urged county governments to give facility managers more control over the funds so they can address urgent infrastructure and service gaps.
At the same time, counties were asked to clear pending debts owed to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority to stabilize the supply of drugs and equipment.
As the discussion shifted to solutions, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka pointed to Kiambu Level 5 Hospital as a working example, saying its solar power installation has cut operational costs significantly.
He urged counties to invest in clean energy to improve efficiency and sustainability in their health facilities.
However, Onyonka cautioned that equipment alone is not enough, adding that poor maintenance continues to undermine service delivery.
He further called for the establishment of maintenance boards to keep hospital equipment functional.
Even with increased funding in the health sector, some facilities remain neglected.
Baringo Senator Chemitei Cheburet cited Kimelel in his county county as one such case, saying more needs to be done to ensure resources translate into better care for citizens.
The committee also pushed for increased registration under the Social Health Authority (SHA), urging healthcare workers to step up efforts to enroll more Kenyans.
Members said they will engage the Ministry of Health over delays in remittances that facilities say are affecting operations.
Why are Kenyan mortuaries congested?
Another concern raised during the visit was congestion in hospital mortuaries, partly driven by bodies brought in by police.
Senators said they will push for conditional grants to support the construction of separate police mortuaries to ease the pressure on health facilities.
They also flagged the continued presence of asbestos in some hospitals, warning of the health risks it poses.
Mandago said the issue must be addressed urgently.
“We cannot claim to be fighting cancer while exposing patients and staff to cancer-causing materials within our own facilities,” he said.
The committee is now expected to retreat and compile its findings into a report, which will be tabled in the Senate for debate and possible action.
