In what might sound as a surprise to many, it is now emerging that seven public county hospitals in Nakuru County are generating more money than the entire County treasury generates in terms of revenue.
As evident in the 2020 County Fiscal strategy paper, during the period between August and December 2019 the seven health facilities generated a total of over Ksh 493 million while the entire treasury department generated a combined total revenue of ksh 342 million.
In the first quarter of the 2019/2020 financial year, the total local revenue was Ksh 292 million while the seven hospitals generated a total of Ksh 257 million.
During the second quarter of the 2019/2020 financial year the hospitals through the facility improvement fund (FIF) generated a total of Ksh 306 million while other combined county revenue sources generated a total of Ksh 250 million.
Members of County assembly have raised concerns over the alarming low local revenue collection by the devolved unit and have since summoned the CeC in charge of finance to explain what they termed as an ‘unusual occurrence’.
The rise in revenue collection by the health facilities is being attributed to improved service delivery and elevation of some hospitals to the level four category which has seen more people troop to the public facilities for services.
Automation of payment systems within the county hospitals has also contributed to curbing revenue pilferage