Senators have raised issues with an audit report on the state of Busia county health facilities, terming it ‘hogwash’.

The Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee found that the queries raised in the report and facts on the ground were worlds apart.

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah lifted the lid by poking holes into the Auditor-General’s report, saying, despite the sorry state of health facilities in the county, the report is silent, adding that most of the facilities have turned into death traps for pregnant women.

Omtatah cited Kocholia Sub-County Hospital in Teso North, saying that despite the facility being a Level Four Hospital, most cases were being referred to Bungoma county, as they cannot be handled there.

“This report looks like it is not on Busia. People are dying of things they should not and the report does not expose what is going on. The health situation in Busia is terrible,” he said.

The committee chaired by Vihiga lawmaker Godfrey Osotsi was examining the audit report for the financial year ending June 2024.

In the report, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu only raised issues with a Sh5.1 million unsupported transfer to various dispensaries in the county without supporting documents.

In addition, the audit report shows there was an underfunding of Sh21.5 million as well as underperformance where only 51 per cent of the budget was spent. “There was no serious audit done. The two audit queries are hogwash as they do not reveal anything about the state of health services in Busia,” charged Omtatah.

Omtatah protested the underwhelming queries and said they do not accurately reflect what is on the ground. Instead, the legislator accused the auditors of engaging largely in a PR exercise, claiming complicity between the auditor’s office and the county government.

He claimed expectant women dying while giving birth is now common in Busia due to the poor state of the health facilities. “This is why we ended up with a fictitious report that does not reflect what is on the ground. This committee should visit Busia and verify what I’m saying.”

In what appeared to be a cover-up, Omtatah claimed he was kept in the dark about Governor Paul Otuoma’s appearance before the committee until the weekend. “They deliberately kept me in the dark. I was also notified of the meeting two days ago on SMS instead of the required 14 days prior. I’m seeing the documents for the first time here,” he said.

While responding to the barrage of the claims, Otuoma said the challenges his county faces, especially in the health facilities are not isolated but are a nationwide problem.

“Delivery of healthcare services is a countrywide problem. Pointing fingers at each other will not help. We need and must work together with the Senate to ensure proper healthcare delivery,” he said.

In January this year, Busia residents protested the poor state of public health facilities. Residents were forced to seek healthcare services in neighbouring counties, including Bungoma, Vihiga, Siaya and Kisumu, and as far as Uasin Gishu.