Medical equipment worth over Sh100 million lying idle in counties

Medical equipment valued at more than Sh100 million remains unused in several counties, even as local governments continue investing in new health facilities.

A report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu for the 2023/24 financial year highlights concerns over idle medical machines and underutilized health projects, questioning whether public funds are being used effectively.

The report reveals that county governments have spent large sums on medical equipment and hospital construction, only for the projects to remain dormant long after completion.

It points to poor planning and mismanagement, leaving expensive medical kits unused while many citizens struggle to access healthcare services.

Counties affected include Kilifi, Kitui, Machakos, Nyeri, Nakuru, Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, and Kisii.

The report criticizes county administrations for failing to ensure proper utilization of medical infrastructure, a violation of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, which requires efficient use of resources.

In Kilifi, the county government purchased digital X-ray machines worth Sh14.4 million, delivered on February 22, 2024. However, by October, one of the machines was still in storage.

Additionally, a Sh33.5 million medical incinerator procured in March 2024 remained unused seven months later.

Nyeri County built and equipped operating theatres at Naromoru Level Four Hospital, including a Sh9.7 million air conditioning system, yet the facility remains idle.

In Siaya, an X-ray machine at Got Agulu Hospital has never been used due to a lack of a radiographer to operate it.

Kitui County also faces similar challenges. A Sh2.2 million X-ray building at Kauwi Hospital remains non-operational as the county awaits the installation of an X-ray machine.

Another X-ray machine, acquired for Sh70 million in the 2017/18 financial year, has never been installed or commissioned.

Furthermore, an oxygen plant worth Sh14.5 million, supplied to Kitui County Referral Hospital in 2016/17, was still not in use as of September 11, 2024.

“Further, the machine is stored in an unsecured space outside, exposing it to risk of deterioration due to adverse weather conditions,” the Auditor-General’s report states.

In Machakos, despite 67 clinical officers and 61 doctors being on the payroll, some have not been working.

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A review of the Integrated Health Management System (IHMS) found no recorded activity for clinical officers and doctors from September 2023, when Level Four and Five hospitals were digitized, and between February and March 2024, when Level Three and Four hospitals were digitized.

Nakuru County has also been flagged, with four completed health projects worth Sh30.2 million lying idle due to a lack of equipment and generators.

Meanwhile, Kisumu County awarded contracts worth Sh10.8 million for constructing maternity units at Dago Kotiende and Kowino and rehabilitating Chulaimbo Hospital. Despite completion, these projects remain unused as of September 2024.

Migori County has faced similar issues, with a Sh2.9 million ablution block at Rongo Hospital still awaiting handover by the contractor. In Kisii, the county government spent Sh3.2 million on projects that were completed but never utilized.

The Auditor-General’s findings raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of healthcare investments by county governments. While millions of shillings have been spent on medical projects, many remain idle, leaving Kenyans without the healthcare services they desperately need.