Don’t Politicise health issues, Otuoma urge Busia leaders

Teso,

Sunday, October 22, 2023

KNA by Absalom Namwalo

Busia Governor, Dr. Paul Otuoma, has urged leaders in Busia County, to engage on health matters with an open and sober mind, irrespective of their political stands.

The Governor was speaking at Amagoro Primary School, while calling on medics to call off their strike, which had lasted Six days paralyzing health services across the County.

Busia doctors, nurses, and clinical officers went on strike after they failed to agree with the county government of Busia on promotions, delayed payments and dilapidated working conditions at the county referral hospital and other seven sub-county hospitals.

“We are living in a very funny political regime where leaders want to incite workers, to boycott their services, yet they know how crucial health matters are,” said Otuma.

Today, the County Executive for Health (CEC), Health, Arthur Odera, engaged with county medical practitioners leadership, who agreed to call-off the strike, signing return to work formula, that will see the implementation of their promotion and accrued arrears.

“We will pay all outstanding arrears by November,” said Odera. I have also ordered the recall of all medical officers who are on study leave to report back with immediate effect,” he announced.

Teso South Member of Parliament (MP), Mary Emase, on the other hand, urged the Governor, to ensure residents of Busia get quality medical services, noting that there was a need for Otuma to visit medical facilities, to access the current state.

“We urged the Governor to personally visit the facilities and assess the situation. Busia residents can no longer access better medical services as a result of dilapidated conditions and lack of medical supplies, pushing them to buy everything from outside,” said Emase.  

During his campaign, Governor Otuoma promised to champion for improved healthcare services and noted that within one year, lack of medical supplies within Busia hospitals, will be something of the past.

Even though there has been a slight improvement, the health status in Busia Hospitals remains wanting, a condition that has seen the County unable to raise revenues, especially from NHIF and other insurance funds.

Bungoma, Siaya and Kakamega counties, have been the biggest beneficiaries of the ailing health situation in Busia County, with most patients being referred to the neighbouring Counties, even though at the beginning of devolution, Busia County was seen as a model County for benchmarking on health matters.

Courtesy; KNA