Kisii Governor Simba Arati says a new digital system will be put up to tame drug theft in all county health facilities.
The digitisation, Arati said, will aid in tracking the drugs from the delivery to the patient.
Arati spoke on Monday during the flagging off of a Sh27 million drugs consignment to subcounty hospitals at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.
"We want to do things differently to stop this pilferage. These stories that drugs are getting their way to people's chemists must stop," Arati said.
Drug theft, he said, had been a thorn in the flesh of the county for years, causing unnecessary deaths.
Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital has been claimed to be a hotbed of drug theft where drugs leave the shelves, courtesy of unscrupulous dealers.
Arati said he is ready to crack the whip on such staff.
" We cannot man a system where even linen is stolen yet patients are dying. We must stop this," Arati said.
Arati said his administration has already identified a firm that will undertake the digitisation programme.
The function was attended by among others, Arati's deputy Robert Monda, Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka.
Onyonka said he will never fail residents in oversighting the Arati administration to ensure the residents get value.
Monda, on his part, pleaded with health service providers to be up to the challenge in offering proper services to patients.
Jhanda lauded Arati saying he has begun on the right track.
Separately, some ward reps want the governor to order the opening of dispensaries over the weekends.
Anthony Kerage (Gesusu) and Thomas Obare (Bobasi Boitangare) said the closure of the health facilities was robbing the residents precious services.
They further asked the governor to scale up procurement of more drugs saying the consignment was low compared to the current needs of the health facilities.
"We appreciate what he has done so far but more drugs are needed," he said
Kerage said a recent impromptu visit to Gesusu subcounty hospital revealed there is lack of motivation in public hospitals.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
