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Patients diagnosed with cancer and kidney conditions are still suffering as the row between the national government and the county over the leasing of medical equipment rages on.
Dozens of patients continue to troop to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi hoping to get treatment.
Tenwek Mission Hospital in Bomet Central continues to refer new cancer patients every week to the two referral hospitals, according to doctors.
"We refer at least one cancer patient every week to the Kenyatta National Hospital or Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. It would be easy if the equipment pledged by the national government had been supplied as it would cut costs for the patients as they look for treatment outside," said one doctor at the hospital who did not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the Press.
He said cancer was becoming rampant in the region due to the lifestyle of local residents, adding throat, breast and blood cancers were common in the area.
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, who has been vocal in opposing equipment leased by the national government, is now under pressure from residents and local leaders to sign up for supply of the equipment to alleviate the suffering faced by residents.
Bomet Central MP Ronald Tonui said there was urgent need to help check cancer. Mr Tonui said it was illogical for the governor to continue resisting the supply of medical equipment as residents continued to suffer.
"Bomet urgently need the medical equipment from the national government and it is ironical for the county leadership to continue opposing supply of the equipment on flimsy grounds while patients continue to suffer in silence," Tonui said in an interview with The Standard.
The legislator warned that continued resistance by Governor Ruto may force them to take to the streets to put pressure on him.
SELFISH INTERESTS
"It is our people suffering because they do not have the luxury of resources to travel the world to seek treatment and, therefore, it is not advisable to put selfish interests ahead of bringing in equipment that would help the locals," Tonui said.
However, the Bomet governor has defended his decision, saying he is not opposing the supply of the equipment just for the sake of it.
Mr Ruto said the condition by the national government that governors must append their signatures before the equipment could be supplied was not in good faith.
"Why is it a condition that the governors must sign before they release the equipment?" Ruto posed, adding that if it was a donation from the national government then it should be given without any conditions.
"We read mischief in the Government's demand for governors to sign and understandably, they are going to make us pay for the leasing of the equipment," he added.
He also faulted the decision to lease the equipment instead of buying it, saying the Government would lose millions of shillings.
LEASE PERIOD
"It would have been cheaper to buy than to lease and that is the weakness of the national government - failing to consult the devolved units before settling on leasing," the former Council of Governors chairman said.
Speaking at Sachang'wan Primary School in Bomet Central, the governor claimed that counties would lose up to Sh800 million at the end of the lease period.
"The reason we are opposed to it is that Sh800 million at the end of eight years is not reasonable, and I will not be party to such fraudulent means of using public funds when we can buy the equipment for as low as Sh190 million," Ruto said.
He said he did not wish to carry the responsibility of reckless leadership that did not seek views before acting to avoid wasting public funds.
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