Senators should investigate the
alarming cases of drugs expiring on
shelves in county hospitals, yet these
facilities were accused of perennially
lacking drugs.
The appeal came from governors,
who also want Parliament to
amend the health law to curb the
proliferation of private clinics and
chemists around county hospitals.
In addition, the county bosses want
the law changed to compel medical
doctors, especially consultants, to
stay in their work stations.
“It is ironic that I am being accused
of not having drugs in my facilities
at the same time drugs are expiring.
The two cannot agree,” Bomet
Governor Hillary Barchok said.
He spoke when he appeared
before the Senate County Public
Investments and Special Funds
Committee to respond to audit
queries on Longisa County Referral
Hospital. In the report, the auditor
flagged expired drugs.
“We need the support of the senate
to see how we can address some of
these issues. We could be addressing
symptoms, yet we have a bigger underlying issue,” Barchok said.
The governor said there is a
possibility some county officers in
public hospitals were intentionally
denying patients drugs and instead
referring them to private clinics.
“Could it be a way of promoting
business outside? As senators, you
need to come up with a law to cure
this problem,” he said.
The law should specify the distance
within which a private clinic or
chemist can be established from the
main county facility.
Barchok also sought the senators’
help to deal with ‘absentee’ medics, who are paid a lot of money by
counties, but spend only a few hours
at work. The bulk of the time is
dedicated to their private facilities.
“The medical officers we hire have
[private] clinics. They spend 90 per
cent of their time in their clinics These are some of the things that
we need to align,” he said.
Senate’s
Committee chairman Godfrey Osotsi
said the expiry of drugs in public
hospitals is common, adding that
the health committee should inquire
into this issue.
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