MTRH Finds Relief as Parliament Committee Commits to Treasury Talks Over Budget Gaps
Committee chairperson Hon. Wanjala Raphael Bitta Sauti told journalists that MTRH had been earmarked for increased funding from the 2019/2020 financial year
Committee chairperson Hon. Wanjala Raphael Bitta Sauti told journalists that MTRH had been earmarked for increased funding from the 2019/2020 financial year,
By Mercy Chelangat
The National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, held a follow-up session with the management of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, a day after inspecting facilities at the hospital. The lawmakers said their focus was on addressing long-standing budget shortfalls that have left the referral facility struggling to meet statutory obligations, adding that they would engage the National Treasury within 20 days.
Committee chairperson Hon. Wanjala Raphael Bitta Sauti told journalists that MTRH had been earmarked for increased funding from the 2019/2020 financial year, but allocations had since reduced, leaving the hospital with no allocation in the current budget.
“They were supposed to be given more money right from 2019–2020. But they started receiving money, but unfortunately again money started reducing, especially after the COVID. And even this year, as we are talking, they have zero in our current budget,” said Hon. Bitta.
He explained that the hospital has accumulated more than Sh3 billion in unpaid statutory deductions, arising mainly from loans staff had taken through banks and cooperative societies. “This has caused them not to be able to remit some of the statutory deductions, including the loans in various banks or corporate societies. The workers have been taking loans. So they have accumulated up to over three billion,” he added.
The committee said it will meet Treasury officials to agree on the way forward and emphasized that the referral facility has performed well in most areas despite financial constraints. “Within 20 days, we want to meet them with the Treasury to agree on the way forward, how they can be assisted. Because they are doing a very good job as MTRH… On the rest of the issues, they have scored 100%,” Hon. Bitta stated.
MTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Kirwa assured that the hospital remains operationally sound even with the financial strain, noting that supplementary support would ease pressure on staff emoluments.
“We are sound in terms of the work that we do. We have a few challenges, but the challenges are surmountable,” Dr. Kirwa said.
He added that the hospital had already engaged government and was hopeful of support. “We’ve approached government and with the support of these members of Parliament and the Chair, we believe we should be able to get, at least in a supplementary, what we require to be able to pay for the staff,” he said.
On Monday, the same committee inspected various units at MTRH including the Cancer Unit, the LINAC radiation center, and the Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab), which is currently hosting a pacemaker implantation camp for 30 patients. During the tour, hospital leadership highlighted milestones in cancer and cardiac care but also pointed out challenges such as congestion, bed shortages, and overstretched human resources.
The two-day engagement has now shifted focus from infrastructure and service delivery gaps observed during the inspection to financial realities affecting the hospital’s operations. With the Treasury meeting set to be pursued within weeks, MTRH is expected to benefit from renewed parliamentary backing in its quest for resources to strengthen service delivery for patients across Western Kenya and neighboring countries.
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