State Department for Medical Services has a total of 53 capital projects to be implemented in the Financial Year 2024/2025, a report to a Parliamentary Committee shows.
The total allocation of the 53 projects to be implemented in the Financial Year 2024/25 is estimated to cost Sh55 billion.
The total allocation to the capital projects comprises Sh36.2 billion from the government and Sh19.3 billion from donor support.
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha further noted the State Department for Medical Services has pending bills that have been determined by the courts of law and advisory issued by the Attorney General.
In a report to the Departmental Committee on Health on the State Department for Medical Services Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25, the CS said the ministry has historical legal pending bills amounting to Sh24.9 billion for the period July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2022.
The pending bills were submitted to the Pending Bills Verification Committee on January 31, 2024.
“Further, the State Department has the current pending bill of Sh1.5 billion which was as a result of lack of exchequer for the period July 1 2022,” Nakhumicha said.
Nakhumicha requested additional funding for the Financial Year 2024/2025 noting that the budget has integrated key issues critical for delivery of services to the public.
The total resource requirements for the Financial Year 2023/2024 is Sh309.4 billion against an allocation of Sh121.9 billion. This comprises Sh66.8 billion in recurrent and Sh55.1 in development.
“Some of the proposed mitigations is to increase the budgetary allocation to comply with a pledge by African Union countries to increase government health funding by committing 15 per cent of the government’s budget to health,” the report stated.
This the CS says will meet the health care needs of the Kenyan population while also recommending prioritisation of domestic resource mobilization in combating diseases.
“Prioritise domestic resource mobilisation to address donor transition and enhance sustainability, especially in TB, HIV, Malaria and Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child Adolescent Health,” Nakhumicha said.
“Strengthen the capacity of Human Resources for Health to support the provision of high-quality health services as envisioned in Vision 2030 and the Constitution.”
Nakhumicha said the meeting with the committee accorded the ministry an opportunity to demonstrate its priorities based on the health needs of Kenyans.
She assured that the State Department is committed to working with the Parliament and other stakeholders to ensure the provision of quality, accessible and affordable healthcare services to Kenyans.
“We believe that this is necessary for a healthy, productive population that is required to grow our economy,” she said.