Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o has denied claims that Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital does not have an Intensive Care Unit.
He said he was operated on at JOOTRH ICU in July by doctors and nurses who he says did a good job.
"Granted that Kisumu County Hospital down town lacks some of the facilities to optimally operate as a referral facility, its problems should not be confused with those of Jaramogi," Nyong'o said.
A report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu said Level 4 and 5 hospitals across the country, do not have enough specialised doctors and adequate facilities such as ICUs.
The report said the county government has failed to remit operations money to Kisumu county referral hospital making it insolvent.
The hospital, which is the biggest in Western serves residents from at least 10 counties.
Gathungu said it is operating on negative working capital of Sh46.68 million as at June 30, last year.
She said the hospital has accumulated pending bills amounting to Sh82.92 million- mainly owed to suppliers of essential commodities.
Nyong’o said the government has denied JOORTH same level of funding as its Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi University Teaching and Referral Hospital counterparts..
“It should be noted that JOOTRH' level 6 status has never been recognised by the national government so as to receive the same level of financial support given to its level 6,” he said.
Nyong’o said all teaching and referral hospitals are national facilities with regard to the services they provide.
“We should, therefore, not "profile" them as county responsibility. It is our responsibility at both the county and national level,” he added.
He said the Auditor General's report should be used to design a new pact for health care delivery.
“After all, every Kenyan lives in one county or another before we call ourselves Kenyans,” Nyong’o said.
