• Eight pharmacies selling subsidised drugs to open in hospitals and more in other health facilities.
• They will sell drugs for TB, diabetes, high blood pressure and mental conditions, among others.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii has revived USAID-financed revolving fund pharmacies to help patients with chronic diseases access cheaper drugs.
Governor Bii presided over the opening of the Burnt Forest Revolving Fund Pharmacy, a partnership between the county and USAID/Ampath.
Eight other such pharmacies will be opened soon in county health facilities, Bii said, and later more countywide.
They include Uasin Gishu County Hospital, Ziwa Hospital, Turbo Subcounty Hospital, Pioneer Health facility, Huruma Subounty Hospital and Soy Health facility.
The pharmacies in health facilities will be a blow to cartels and hospital staff stealing drugs and directing patients to private pharmacies to buy stolen drugs at high prices.
He said the pharmacies will help ensure residents get services closer to them and those with chronic disease will be able to buy subsidised drugs.
The governor thanked the Ampath team for making it possible to open the pharmacies in a short period.
Ampath is the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare. It is a medical partnership between North American academic health centres led by the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Moi University School of Medicine in Eldoret.
Last week the governor met the Ampath team to plan how pharmacies would be rolled out countywide.
"In the past the patients had to travel from the rural areas to access the drugs in Eldoret or other towns but they will now get subsidised drugs at their doorsteps," Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo from Ampath said
During the administration of former Governor Jackson Mandago, 60 revolving fund pharmacies were closed over questions of procedure. Officials said the same drugs were available at county hospitals.
MCAs protested.
Governor Bii said the revolving fund pharmacies would supplement services offered by county hospitals.
He also said his administration would partner with other organisations in all sectors, including water supply and agriculture.
(Edited by V. Graham)