Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire has formed a 6-member taskforce to come up with proposals and solutions aimed at reforming the ailing health system.
The taskforce Chaired by retired former Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health Dr Francis Kimani, according to the Governor, has a mandate of one month within which it is expected to come up with practical solutions towards revamping the health sector.
“The team has the liberty to visit all the health facilities on a fact-finding mission to establish what is ailing the public health sector and come up with short and long-term solutions,” she said.
Speaking on Tuesday in her office while unveiling the team, the Governor said her key emphasis was to enhance timely and quality service delivery in all public health facilities across the county.
The health system has for long been crippled through insufficient budget from the past regime, mismanagement and corruption leading to facilities being hit by acute shortage of drugs and other consumables forcing patients to seek treatment in private hospitals or travel outside the county.
In the meantime, the Governor said her administration had made a commitment to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to settle part of the Sh 47 million pending bill left by the past administration.
She reported that they had paid Sh 35.8 million that has gone a long way to facilitate the agency to release a consignment of drugs expected to be brought in by the end of the week.
Ms. Mbarire said she will be at hand to receive the consignment and oversee distribution as well as put in place measures to track usage on a daily basis to seal loopholes of theft.
“We will expect daily updates from all the facilities on drug usage that will also go a long way in informing when to replenish the stocks,” she said.
She sent an appeal to the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) once sworn in to pass a supplementary budget for additional funding to the health sector.
At the same time, the Governor said, her administration will also commence a cleanup in the entire county spearheaded by the youth.
She said they were in the process of procuring the necessary equipment to facilitate the task of garbage collection and disposal.
