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It will not be business as usual. You must help us improve health care services to the people of Homa Bay. This was the stern message Governor Cyprian Awiti gave to the County Health Management Team on Thursday this week. Speaking at the Ministry of Health Head office when he met representatives from various NGOs working on the health sector in the County, Mr. Awiti said he had received complaints of slow and sometimes poor health services in hospitals despite resources we have invested on these facilities and heavy presence of development partners in this sector. He said he was not happy with the slow pace in health reforms in the county and told senior health officials to move with speed and ensure there were improvements.

“I will visit every single health facility to inspect the equipment and asses staff commitment. It will not be business as usual for lazy officers,” said the governor.

He also warned health providers across the county against mishandling patients. “Patients must be handled with respect and the highest degree of professionalism,” he added. Mr Awiti said the government was spending Sh 34m to upgrade the County Referral hospital. “We have received and installed new equipment. We have employed 285 health workers and we have constructed new maternity wards in Karachuonyo, Rangwe and Ndhiwa sub county hospitals.”

Also on Thursday, the Governor received the County’s Reproductive Health Strategic Plan 2015-2019 prepared by Kenya Medical and Education Trust (KMET). Earlier in the morning, he received medical equipment worth over Sh 30m from the United Nations Fund For Population (UNFP). Last week, UNICEF donated special medical equipment worth Sh 30m to be used in the prevention of maternal and Infant deaths at the Referral Hospital.

“I know we inherited tattered health institutions from the national government but we must make them better. I want to see a big change when I start visiting these facilities soon. I want to see results. It will not be business as usual,” said the Governor.