- Sh25.5 million has been set aside to provide NHIF cover to Community Health Promoters and their families to access quality healthcare.
- Of the Sh17.3 billion budget, Sh11.2 billion translating to 64.3 per cent will go towards recurrent expenditure.
Image: HILTON OTENYO
Health is the highest gainer in Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa’s first budget of Sh 17. 3 billion.
The docket received the lion share of Sh4.64 billion, followed by Public Service and Administration with Sh1.82 billion. Education follows with Sh1.62 billion and Agriculture with Sh1.4 billion.
A total of Sh11.2 billion translating to 64.3 per cent will go towards recurrent expenditure while development will receive Sh6.2 billion, equivalent of 35.7 per cent.
The county plans to raise Sh2.2 billion from own sources, Sh12.9 billion from sharable revenue and another Sh500 million from conditional grants to finance the budget.
Out of the health budget, Sh3.9 billion will be spent on recurrent while Sh674 million will got to development. Of the recurrent budget, Sh300 million has been set aside for hiring of doctors, clinical officers and other health workers to bolster service delivery.
Completion and equipping of Kakamega County Teaching and referral Hospital has been allocated Sh200 million. This is down from Sh500 million allocated to the project in the current financial year.
The project stalled more than two years ago after the contractor pulled out of the site citing delayed payment.
The maternal healthcare programme Linda Afya Ya Mama na Mtoto has been allocated Sh110 million, and Sh58 million to the NHIF-universal access to healthcare. Another Sh42.5 million will go to the completion Butere Level 4 hospital.
Community Health Promoters and their families will receive health cover worth Sh25 million.
Under the health budget, CHPs will receive Sh2, 500 monthly stipend up from Sh2, 000. The 4, 250 CHPs will be equipped with modern kits and appropriate data collection equipment as the first line health workers.
The county has allocated Sh59 million to operationalise the County Health Services Fund that seeks to give all health facilities autonomy in management of their own resources.
The ambitious budget was unanimously approved by MCAs on Wednesday.
Public Service and Administration has been allocated Sh1.82 billion.
The county has allocated Sh1.432 billion to the Transport and Infrastructure department while the county assembly got Sh1.335 billion, which will majorly go to recurrent expenditure.
The Social Services, Youth, and Sports docket will get Sh1.280 billion while the Department of Trade, Finance, and Economic Planning has been allocated Sh932 million. Industrialization and Tourism got Sh850.8 million.
The Lands, Housing, Urban Areas and Physical Planning department will get Sh685 million. Water, Environment and Natural Resources will get Sh573.5 million, and the Office of the Governor Sh473.49 million. ICT, e-government, and Communication will get Sh220 million.