Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have called on the County Government of Kisumu to make amends in the current health budget.
The organizations fired a shot at the County Government seeking to increase the health budget from the current 7.7% as per the current CIDP proposal.
KISAMANET- Afya Mashinani which pulls together organizations dealing with health issues in Kisumu County said the push will ensure better health care at the grassroots level.
We have also called on the health department to ensure that 10% of all health allocation budget be implemented by civil society, communities and key populations
John June
While meeting with the Kisumu County Health committee members, the organizations led by John June, the CSOs urged the Government to heed their to their appeal as this will see improved health delivery through the incorporation of community health volunteers (CHVs).
The organizations called on the County Government not to fail short of the Abuja Declaration that calls for a 15% allocation of the total amount of money received (by the County Government) to the Department of Health to address the pressing daily challenges including HIV, and Aids,Malaria and Tuberculosis.
“HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria are diseases that greatly affect people at the grassroots levels. There is a need to address them at the very level to make it easier for people to access health services,” said June.
“We have also called on the health department to ensure that 10% of all health allocation budget be implemented by civil society, communities and key populations,” he futhered.
We shall discuss this as a committee and see if our budget can adopt the same.It is a good initiative
Hon. Lumumba Owade
MCAs
While expressing their fears in budget expansion, the County Assembly members present lauded the proposal by KISAMANET.
“We have heard a very concrete discussion on how best to improve the health sector in Kisumu County. However, our fear is the budget extension. Currently, we know that the health department is under budgeted but this is as a result of extensive payments to County employees,” said Kisumu West MCA Hon.Ken Ouko.
Ouko further pointed out that the current regime inherited a large number of County employees and cannot fire them.
Deputy Majority leader and MCA for East Nyakach ward, Hon. Lumumba Owade points out that if achieved, the new budget could be used in improving the health sector as well as assist in educating community health volunteers.
“We shall discuss this as a committee and see if our budget can adopt the same.It is a good initiative,” he said.
Domestic resource mobilization is the way to go.Donors are withdrawing their support and within no time, we will have to stand on our own. Therefore, there is a need to domesticate our mobilization
Martin Siguda
Domestic Resource Mobilization
KISAMANET chairman Martin Siguda also appealed to the Kisumu County health department to
consider the proposals made and encouraged both the County Government as well as non
governmental organizations to embrace Domestic Resource Mobilization.
“Domestic resource mobilization is the way to go.Donors are withdrawing their support and within no time, we will have to stand on our own. Therefore, there is a need to domesticate our mobilization,” said Siguda.