The Nairobi County Assembly Health Services Committee has raised concerns over the county government’s spending priorities, possible duplication of health sector expenditure and persistent strikes by healthcare workers, warning that the challenges could affect service delivery as the rainy season approaches.
The committee, chaired by Mountain View Ward MCA Morris Ochieng, made the observations following a meeting with senior officials from the county’s Health Department, where several issues concerning the management and delivery of healthcare services were discussed.
Ochieng said the meeting brought together chief officers responsible for Public Health, Health Facilities, Nutrition and Medical Services. However, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Susan Silantoi was absent after sending an apology.
One of the key concerns raised during the meeting was the low absorption of development funds compared to recurrent expenditure, with the committee questioning the county’s spending priorities and the pace of development in the health sector.
“One of the issues we noted is the low absorption of development funds compared to recurrent expenditure. There is a lot of spending on recurrent expenditure, yet development expenditure remains low,” Ochieng said.
The committee also raised questions over what Ochieng described as a possible duplication of expenditure between the Health Department and the county’s disaster management department, particularly in the procurement of emergency supplies.
According to the MCA, the Health Department had already procured supplies worth approximately KSh50 million for Ebola preparedness, despite the committee’s understanding that such expenditure should fall under the disaster management department’s emergency funds.
“We have established that the Health Department has already procured supplies worth KSh50 million, yet this is something that should be financed through the disaster management department and its emergency funds,” he said.
The committee said it would seek clarity on the allocation of responsibilities and funding to avoid duplication and ensure public resources are used efficiently.
With the rainy season approaching and concerns over the possible spread of infectious diseases, the committee also directed the Chief Officer for Public Health to ensure that food establishments across Nairobi undergo thorough inspections and comply with public health regulations.
Onyango said the committee was particularly concerned about the issuance of medical certificates to food handlers and had resolved to investigate the process to establish whether the necessary public health requirements were being observed.
“As a committee, we have resolved to investigate the issuance of medical certificates to food handlers to ensure that the necessary public health requirements are being observed,” he said.
He added that strengthening inspections of eateries and ensuring compliance would be important in protecting residents from disease outbreaks during the rainy season.
Beyond public health preparedness, the committee also turned its attention to the recurring industrial unrest affecting healthcare services in county facilities.
Onyango said he had challenged the Chief Officer for Medical Services to address grievances raised by healthcare workers and facilitate an agreement that would allow affected employees to resume duty.
He expressed concern that the county had experienced repeated strikes involving clinical officers, pharmaceutical technologists and laboratory technologists over the past four months, disrupting the delivery of essential services.
“It is quite sad that we have a health department that appears unconcerned about the ongoing strikes. For the last four months, we have witnessed industrial action involving clinical officers, pharmaceutical technologists and laboratory technologists,” Onyango said.
Following the concerns, the committee resolved to give the county executive 72 hours to engage union officials, address the outstanding grievances and work towards ending the industrial action.
“As a committee, we have resolved to give the executive 72 hours to ensure that they sit down with the officials, address their grievances and find a lasting solution to the ongoing strikes,” he said.
The MCA also criticised what he described as a lack of accountability among some senior county officials, accusing them of repeatedly failing to honour invitations to appear before the Assembly’s oversight committees.
He said the absence of the CECM and other officials whenever they are summoned undermines the Assembly’s oversight mandate, particularly when important questions about the management of public resources and service delivery remain unanswered.
“Whenever we invite the CECM and chief officers to appear before the committee, they should honour those invitations. They have a responsibility to answer questions raised by the Assembly as we undertake our oversight mandate,” he said.
Onyango urged Silantoi and the department’s chief officers to take their oversight obligations seriously and personally appear before the committee whenever required to respond to concerns raised by MCAs.
He maintained that the committee would continue holding the executive accountable while pushing for improvements in healthcare services and ensuring Nairobi residents remain protected, particularly during the approaching rainy season.
