Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has ordered investigations into claims of theft of drugs in public hospitals.
Malombe on Monday said patients seeking treatment in public hospitals were being referred to private clinics for services readily available at the county facilities.
“We got a letter from the EACC last week about complaints from members of the public from Kitui who claim that at Kitui Level IV Hospital, people who visit for treatment are being denied services and referred to private facilities,” Malombe said.
The governor spoke at the county referral hospital, where he flagged off 22 lorry-loads of drugs and non-pharmaceuticals to the 306 health facilities in the county.
He asked Health CEC Ruth Koki to look into the matter and urged the medical staff to cooperate during investigations.
Malombe said his administration was keen to ensure the sick were treated with respect and are not denied services and referred to private facilities for diagnosis, whereas services are available in public hospitals.
He further called on all residents and medical officers to ensure prudent use of drugs.
“The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is training their eyes on what is happening in this facility in terms of treatment of patients and whether when drugs are received, there are leakages and who are the people involved,” he said.
The governor noted that the problem was not exclusive to Kitui and that Mwingi, Mutomo, Ikutha hospitals were having similar issues.
The consignment from Kemsa was procured at a cost of Sh81.5 million.
At the ceremony that was attended by health workers, the governor cautioned them against diversion of the medicine.
He said improving access to affordable healthcare was an indispensable plunk in his vision and transformative agenda.
“During my inauguration, I promised Kitui residents of quality, affordable and accessible healthcare as a priority,” Malombe said.
He added that it in line with his vision and transformative agenda dubbed the Kitui Promise.
“The Kitui promise will be realised by actualising my 16-sector development agenda, which I promised the people of Kitui during my campaigns, healthcare being one of them,” Malombe said.
He said to ensure seamless provision of healthcare in the county, 2,470 community health volunteers would be recruited to enhance preventive and promotive services.
He said each of the 247 villages in Kitui will have 10 community health volunteers.
The governor added that teaching and referral hospitals will be set up in Kitui and Mwingi Level IV hospitals and maternity wings will be set up at all Level III and II health facilities.
He also said Kitui and Mwingi Level IV hospitals will soon have their own functional oxygen plants, adding that already the plant for Kitui had been installed and pipes leading to wards were being put in place to make it fully operational.
He also said proper monitoring system had been employed to ensure drugs will no longer be stolen, noting that it was the responsibility of all to stop theft of drugs.
“We can ensure that medicines delivered to our facilities do not leak out and are hence utilized for the purpose for which they were procured," he said.
