West Pokot, Kenya – In a groundbreaking move, West Pokot County has enacted the first-of-its-kind Facility Improvement Fund law, granting county health facilities autonomy over the resources they generate. The legislation allows hospitals and other health units to directly invest in service delivery opportunities, such as pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical supplies.
The law, passed unanimously by the county assembly in March and assented to by Governor John Lonyangapuo, aims to boost investments in health infrastructure and align with Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) objectives.
Meshack Ndirangu, Health Director at Amref Kenya, noted that the law enables facilities to efficiently allocate funds, ensuring that spending is targeted for maximum impact. The autonomy is expected to reduce delays in procurement, improve staff motivation, and attract donor support.
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, during the launch of the third medical safari under her Beyond Zero project, commended West Pokot’s leadership for investing more resources into the county’s health sector, which is expected to lower referral rates and reduce preventable deaths.
The law also leverages provisions under the Public Finance Management Act (2012), which allows county governments to grant financial autonomy to units like health facilities, thereby giving them residual rights over the revenues they collect.
This initiative positions West Pokot as a trailblazer in Kenya’s health sector reform, providing a model that other counties may adopt to strengthen healthcare delivery.