Mandera Health executive Shamsa Haji has denied reports of a drugs shortage crisis and said county facilities are fully stocked.
But she admits that rains have made some roads impassable in remote areas, making transport of drugs and supplies difficult or impossible until conditions improve.
On Saturday, chairman of the Assembly Health committee Shaban Hassan told reporters patients were suffering across the county because of a shortage.
Hassan said even the few facilities in subcounties that still have drugs will run out "on the next few weeks". He accused health officials of laxity.
Hassan and his colleagues from the health committee said that the most affected facilities are in far-flung areas urged the county to stock the facilities "before it is too late".
Health executive Haji took journalists to some Mandera town health facilities and warehouses. they appeared to be well-stocked.
“As you can see, our facilities are equipped with drugs for common ailments. We expect the drugs that we procured in March to last for a month. We get our next batch in the next two weeks,” she said.
Shamsa said the only major problem has been the ongoing rains that make some roads impassable and drugs supply difficult.
“It is true some facilities, especially in far-flung areas, have had a shortage, but the problem is not of our making, the rains have been the issue.
The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) Amendment Act 2019 requires counties to only buy drugs from Kemsa, and that limits counties whenever they are out of stock.
The amendment states that a national or county public health facility shall obtain all drugs and medical supplies from the authority after the drugs are duly registered and meet quality standards.
(Edited by V. Graham)
