Investors have been urged to provide capital for the expansion of health sector services in Homa Bay County.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance Solomon Obiero said that the county lacked diverse and quality private sector health services.
He said if more investment was channeled to the health sector, it would promote healthy competition for the benefit of the residents.
Speaking during the official opening of Equity Afia Medical Center in Homa Bay town, Obeiro said proliferation of health facilities would also bring down the cost of health services to the county residents.
Obiero who was accompanied by the Equity Afia Homa Bay Branch Administrator Dr Barnabas Onyango, said although the county’s population was rising, there was no commensurate expansion of health services.
“I encourage investors to open health facilities in Homa Bay County. This will lead to competition in service delivery and the people of this county will benefit more,” Obiero said.
The CECM said proliferation of health facilities in the county would reduce the trend of residents seeking specialized health services from other counties.
“Today, there are rampant cases of referrals to health facilities outside our county because we lack specialized hospitals. Existence of more health facilities in this county will cushion residents from such referral,” Obier said.
Dr. Onyango said their aim of opening the hospital was to enable residents to get quality health services at affordable costs.
He said they were open to fair competition with other health facilities in offering the best medical care in Homa Bay.
“Our objective is to accord Homa Bay residents quality medical care at affordable costs. We embrace healthy competition with other health facilities,” Onyango said.
Equity Afia Medical Center is expected to be an alternative health facility for residents who have been relying heavily on public health facilities. It has been opened by the Equity Bank.
By Davis Langat
