Kakamega County Commissioner Munga Chimwaga (left) confers with Governor Wycliffe Oparanya (right) during the Madaraka Day celebrations at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega. [Photo: Chrispen Sechere/Standard]

Kakamega, Kenya: The deteriorating state of the health sector in Kakamega County has been blamed on an acute shortage of doctors.

According to Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, the county needs another 102 doctors to effectively tackle the healthcare requirements of the county.

Oparanya noted that since health care was devolved, most doctors applied to work in their respective counties, thereby causing a shortage.

“The Ministry of Health has given us only six doctors to help deal with this shortage. We are in need of two more, in order to ensure that we are able to cope with the increasing number of patients,” said Oparanya in his speech during the Madaraka day celebrations in Kakamega.

He announced that the county government would hire 900 nurses to address the challenge of personnel in public hospitals.

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Modern hospital

The current health facilities would also be modernised so that residents are not forced to visit referral hospitals outside the county.

Oparanya revealed that the county had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with American investors to boost the state of health facilities.

“My government has signed an MOU with Coppe Health Care, to construct a modern hospital at the County General Hospital, and a medical school to train medical students in the county,” said Oparanya.

Coppe Health Care Solutions team leader Daniel Krox said the investment would help the county government address health-care issues to save lives.

“We want to move with speed in implementing this MoU and start the project on time to ensure that healthcare is achieved in this county,” said Krox.

Oparanya said the MOU aims at boosting residents’ health by providing modern health facilities.

Once complete, the new hospital will increase the county’s current hospital capacity of 500 beds to 1000.

“The partner is expected to construct a new county hospital, with modern standards and sufficient medical equipment,” he said.

Medical courses

The collaboration will also include the setting up of a medical school at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, which will provide skills to medical students at the county hospitals.

“Most our students do not get grades that can get them admission to study medical courses. We ask stakeholders in the education sector to ensure that education standards are improved in this county.

Elsie Muhanda, the County Health Executive Committee Member had earlier said that the county would improve the state of facilities in the county progressively.

“We have a shortage of medical facilities and medics but the county government has now allocated funds to fix this problem,” said Muhanda.