Governor Under Pressure Over Alleged Closure of Referral Hospital

Presidential Advisor for the Great Lakes Region Charles Keter has criticised the Kericho County Government over the alleged closure of Kericho County Referral Hospital, accusing the county leadership of failing to address challenges facing healthcare workers.

In a statement on Wednesday, July 22, Keter said the situation had disrupted the provision of essential healthcare services.

"What is being witnessed at Kericho County Referral Hospital is deeply regrettable and shocking. It is sad that the county leadership has turned a blind eye regarding the health sector and the plight of medical personnel serving in this institution," he wrote.

Keter said the alleged closure of the facility had affected residents who rely on the referral hospital for essential medical services.

“The closure of the Referral Hospital over unresolved demands by doctors ranging from salary payment and promotions has disrupted the provision of essential healthcare services, causing untold suffering to residents who depend on this hospital for care," he added.

Keter said the situation required immediate action from the county leadership, noting that the devolved government was responsible for ensuring healthcare workers were treated fairly and that public health facilities remained operational.

"This situation calls for urgent and responsible action. Health is a devolved function, and county leadership carries the sole duty to ensure that healthcare workers are treated fairly, paid on time, and supported to keep public facilities operational round the clock," he continued.

Keter urged the county government to settle the outstanding dues and restore normal operations at the referral hospital and other health facilities across the subcounties.

"I therefore urge the county government to move with speed and address the outstanding dues without further delay and restore normal operations at the hospital and those in other subcounties. 

"The people of Kericho deserve access to quality healthcare services, and the men and women who serve in our health facilities deserve dignity, fairness, and timely compensation," he further said.

Elsewhere, the Digital Health Agency (DHA) has warned health facilities against fraudulent certificates being circulated by individuals seeking to mislead healthcare providers into believing their Hospital Management Information Systems (HMIS) have been certified. 

The warning follows the circulation of counterfeit 'Certificate of System Compliance' documents bearing the Digital Health Agency’s branding and signatures. 

In a notice on Tuesday, July 21, the agency urged healthcare providers to remain vigilant and verify every certificate before accepting it as genuine. 

"Please be cautious of fake certificates being circulated to deceive health facilities. Kindly verify the authenticity of any HMIS certificate through the official DHA verification portal," the notice read.

The agency noted that verification through its official portal is the only reliable way to confirm whether a certificate has been legitimately issued following the required system assessment and compliance process.