County Health
were the major source of revenue for the county governments. Cumulative heath budget for all counties amounted to Sh 64 Billion with recurrent expenditure taking up to Sh 48 Billion leaving Sh 16 Billion for development projects in the counties’ health sector.
At the National government level, the Ministry of Health recurrent expenditure budget stood at 55 per cent amounting to Sh 26.07 Billion out of a budget allocation of Sh 47. 4 Billion apportioned to the ministry during the fiscal year.
The report says that“ a disaggregation of the recurrent health budget for 2014 / 15 shows that total grants / transfers to semi-autonomous government agencies, which includes their own locally generated revenues( user fees) accounted for about 75 per cent of the total Ministry of Health recurrent budget.”
Source: Ministry of Health
Further, the ministry says“ Personnel emoluments- headquarters staff, Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital and the National Spinal Injury Hospital staff- accounted for close to 9 per cent of the total recurrent health budget with internship programme receiving 6 per cent. Drugs and other medical supplies, operations and maintenance, and others accounted for the remaining 10 percent.”
The report findings have put to question Kenya’ s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3 that targets to“ Achieve Universal
Shortage of drugs at public facilities increases cost of treatment as patients result to buying medicine at a higher cost in private hospitals and pharmacies.
Health Coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all” by the year 2030.
The skewed allocations further cast doubts on Kenya’ s commitment to honour government obligations spelt out in the country’ s health policy.
Kenya Health Policy 2012 – 2030, a road map to health care provision developed by the Ministry of Health, aims“ at attaining the highest possible
48 November-December 2016