Joint House team allocates Sh1.87bn to Level 5 hospitals

A Senate-National Assembly mediation committee has agreed to allocate Sh1.87 billion for Level 5 hospitals, which is to be drawn from the national government’s share.

The Senate had earlier sought a Sh3.74 billion grant for the former provincial hospitals — outside the amount allocated to counties — through its amendment to the Division of Revenue Bill.

(Read: Plot to reject budget for hospitals)

However, the National Assembly rejected the request for the additional amount, arguing that the hospitals' funding had been provided for in the allocation of Sh226.66 billion to the devolved units.

This prompted the referral of the proposed law to a mediation committee of members drawn from each of the two Houses.

The Sh1.87 billion agreed to by the mediation committee is less than the Sh3.4 billion that was allocated to the Level 5 hospitals last year.