The war against Covid-19 has gone to the counties. Latest statistics by the Health ministry show that infections have spread to 38 out of the 47 counties.
Transmission has become community-based and so the response has to be localised.
But at the weekend, President Uhuru Kenyatta was emphatic that most counties were not prepared to deal with the pandemic.
He cited two worst cases: Siaya, which only has a 10-bed isolation facility and the neighbouring Busia with 34 beds. Busia is fast becoming a hotspot due to the truckers crossing over to Uganda.
WELL-EQUIPPED
But the big question is, are counties well-equipped and prepared to manage medical services, which is a devolved function?
Or, put differently, have they enhanced provision of healthcare services?
Devolution of healthcare has been contentious. The objective was to take services closer to the people. But save for a few counties that have performed relatively well by putting up modern hospitals and equipping them with standard facilities, most have not.
Matters have been made worse by the fact that counties have no proper systems for managing health workers, which explains the constant push and pull over pay and training that has led to perennial health workers’ strikes that cause suffering to citizens.
So far, the government has allocated Sh5 billion to the counties to manage Covid-19. This is a special fund that should help them to set up facilities to handle the pandemic.
Separately, they have enhanced annual health budgets that should be used to create infrastructure for better medical services. Unfortunately, there is little to show for it.
Evidence has been adduced of wastage and misappropriation of the funds and the consequence is weak health infrastructure across the country, which now threatens to get worse if coronavirus infections spike.
DEPRESSING REPORTS
Not that things are any better at the national level. There have been depressing reports of misuse and pilferage of Covid-19 funds let alone cash for general health services.
For instance, the Health ministry has been on the spotlight over Sh1.3 billion donor cash for Covid-19 emergency response, which was diverted to procure non-essential items.
All these provide the context for the meeting between President and the governors scheduled for tomorrow.
There is a need for a candid assessment of counties’ emergency preparedness as well as national government’s support.
Counties have to give an account of what they are doing, or plan to do, to deal with the pandemic. Further, they need to show a respective blueprint for long-term healthcare programmes.
All in all, counties have to provide a plan of action for dealing with Covid-19.
