Public hospitals in Kakamega are facing an acute shortage of drugs over a Sh39 million debt owed to the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency by the county government.
The facilities are unable to carry out simple test such as that of malaria with patients unable to access even pain killers.
A spot check by the Star established that all Level 2, 3 and 4 hospitals have not received drugs and other hospital supplies since April, and this has seen the facilities unable to offer treatment.
Most affected are patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension who receive the medication routinely.
“The situation is bad. Ask anybody with any chronic condition and they will tell you what they are going thorough,” a doctor in one of the county hospitals said.
A doctor at the county general hospital said the facility does not have diazepam in ward 9 (mental ward).
The drug is normally used to calm down patients when they become hyper.
County Health executive Dr Collins Matemba said Kemsa has declined to supply the county general hospital with drugs over a Sh39 million owed to them by the county government.
He said Kemsa only supplied 30 per cent of the pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical supplies ordered by the county in April.
“The Cabinet approved payment of the Kemsa debt in April but it has not been paid, stalling further supplies to the county government” Matemba said.
Heath is the leading revenue stream for the county government.
Health stream generated Sh216,926,728 in financial year 2020/2021.
The county government intents to generate Sh3,000,000 this financial year.
The medics have however complained that the money is diverted to other functions by the Executive instead of being ploughed back to the department.
-Edited by SKanyara
