- She spoke when she visited patients at Athi River Medical Services – Mutonguni Hospital in Athi River town on Sunday.
- Ndeti was accompanied by tens of her CECs, chief officers and Machakos MCAs during her tour to the sick.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has appealed to the public to help her in arresting those who steal medicine from public hospitals in the county.
Ndeti said she was disappointed to learn some people steal the drugs procured by her administration to help in treating patients seeking medical services in various health facilities in the county.
"When I distribute drugs to hospitals, they are stolen. I ask you, my people, please help me in getting these people stealing medicines. Let us arrest them and take them to police custody," she said.
She spoke when she visited patients at Athi River Medical Services – Mutonguni Hospital in Athi River town on Sunday.
Ndeti was accompanied by tens of her CECs, chief officers and Machakos MCAs during her tour to the sick.
She issued donations to the patients, prayed with them and wished them quick recovery so that they return to their respective homes and continue with their normal lives.
She said her administration was vigilant and had engaged relevant authorities in the security sector to monitor supplies to all public hospitals in Machakos County.
Ndeti said they were committed to sealing all the loopholes in the facilities and drugs’ distribution channels to cub the drugs and other hospital supplies theft menace.
“Those arrested in the syndicate will be arraigned in courts as provided for in the law,” she said.
A staff at Muumandu health centre in Machakos County was caught allegedly stealing drugs from the facility last week.
The suspect is said to have kept the drugs in the hospital’s kitchen in order to transport the same later.
Ndeti condemned the incident stating that it was shameful for civil servants who earn salaries to provide services to the public to be part of a drugs theft syndicate instead of saving lives using the same medicine.
She said though her administration was facing financial challenges, they were putting more effort into tax collection to raise funds for service delivery.
“We are facing financial problems as a county government. But, we are putting more effort into tax collection,” Ndeti said.
Ndeti said her administration had since January 2023 collected Sh1.4 billion taxes.
She said her administration was keen on putting every coin collected from the public as tax into good usage for the residents’ best interests.
The county CEO urged traders in Machakos to timely and willingly pay their taxes to both the national and county government.
“Even if you can’t pay the whole amount of tax you owe the government once at ago, negotiate with the revenue officers and agree on how you can settle it in instalments either twice or thrice. Negotiate and pay so that we are able to deliver services,” Ndeti said.
Ndeti said her government will construct a Level four hospital in Athi River town within the Mavoko subcounty.
She said the hospital will accommodate consultant doctors to offer their services to locals.
“I have allocated Sh100 million for the project, President William Ruto had also donated Sh100 million towards the same course following my request. So, we are fully filing our campaign promises. We are constructing for you a hospital here,” she said.
She said the facility will have both normal and private wings for patients to have a choice of the services they want.
Ndeti said she was balancing the little funds her administration gets to sustain county staff as well as deliver services to the residents.
She said there was a challenge of funding from the national government but assured that revenue collected will be properly utilized for the benefit of the people.
Ndeti together with her CECs, chief officers and MCAs had earlier joined the faithful at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mlolongo where she also contributed funds towards various church projects.
Image: GEORGE OWITI