Kisumu Senator Fred Outa wants the national government to take over health services in the county.
This comes as civil society organisations threatened to start a process to revert the health docket to the national government over what they termed “poor management”.
Outa said health services have been disrupted time and again and the national government should take over to save residents.
He said he has received a petition from Kisumu residents to plead with President Uhuru Kenyatta to revert health functions to the state.
“Residents are complaining that there are no drugs and they are not getting adequate services,” he said
He spoke in Nyando subcounty during the burial of his mother on Saturday.
Separately, civil society organisations accused the county government of being asleep on the job and not providing services to residents.
Led by Michael Nyaguti of Magnum Environmental Network, Audi Ogada of Kisumu Residents Voice Association and Chris Obure, the groups called for change in the health docket currently headed by Judith Atyang.
“Nyong’o had a very good manifesto when he was campaigning and it is time for him to fully implement it,” he said.
Nyaguti said the county should account for the funds that were disbursed for the piloting of the UHC programme.
Civil society groups further called for the dissolution of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital board.
Residents who spoke to the Star said there were no drugs, food for inpatients and reagents for tests at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kisumu County Hospital and Ahero Subcounty Hospital.
They said that people were dying yet the county government was not concerned about their plight.
“The health services in Kisumu are wanting, yet the county government is unbothered. This function should be transferred to the national government,” Mary Akoth said.
But County communications director Aloice Ager on Monday termed claims that health facilities are not functional as false.
He said the challenges being experienced is because of the UHC pilot programme and the county is making efforts to streamline operations.
“At times, reagents aren’t enough due to supply delays by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority,” Ager said.