Minister gives rates to be
paid in County hospitals
By Nguma Kitone
Machakos County Health Minister Dr Daniel Yumbya today told residents to pay up for treatment.
He told patients visiting hospitals in the county to prepare to cough specific fees to supplement the county government efforts to offer efficient medical services to the residents.
He said the County Health Management team passed a requirement in 2021 that patients visiting Machakos Level 5 to pay a consultation fee of Kes.150.00, Levels 4 and 3 hospitals -Kes.100.00 and Kes.50.00respectively.
Dr Yumbya added that the fees should be paid through Mpesa paybill and not cash.
He cautioned against politicising the supplementary fees as the proceeds would be used to equip the health facilities with equipments such as CT scans for the benefit of the residents.
Dr Yumbya stressed that Governor Wavinya is committed to ensuring residents get the best medical care at all the health facilities.
On provision of medicine, Yumbya explained that the County Government is spending between Kes.30- 40 million monthly on drugs for local hospitals and other health facilities.
He encouraged residents to register with the National Hospital Insurance Fund to underwrite a big chunk of their hospital bills when they fall sick.
"When you register with the health scheme,they will reimburse us when you seek treatment in our hospitals.The county government will in turn use the funds to buy drugs and other equipments", said Dr Yumbya.
The minister regretted that Governor Ndeti inherited a debt of more than Kes 200m for drugs owed by KEMSA during the last administration.
"When Governor Wavinya took over office,she found a debt of more than Kes. 200m incurred by the previous administration which she cleared.She is now spending up to almost Kes.40m on drugs for our health facilities every month", said the health boss.
Dr Yumbya spoke at the Machakos Level 5 hospital as he briefed journalists on the current status of local health facilities in terms of drugs supplies.
Flanked by his Chief Officer Health Rashid Mohamed, among others, traced drugs shortages to the end of the national government's Universal Health Care(UHC) pilot program that supported the health system in the county up to the year 2020.
