Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top

Kenya

Public health facilities in Nairobi get drugs from KEMSA

Drugs from KEMSA being distributed to a health facility in Kayole on October 26, 2019. /COURTESY.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 26-Several public health facilities have received drugs distributed by the Nairobi County Government after going for months without drugs.

The exercise, which is being overseen by the County’s Health Executive Committee member Vesca Kangongo, is aimed at addressing drug shortage that has been witnessed across the city.

“I am glad we have done 80 percent of the distribution and some facilities such as Mama Lucy, Mutuini, Mbagathi, Pumwani and Kayole are fully stocked with drugs,” Kangogo said, “now that we have enough supply of drugs I don’t expect any Nairobi resident to purchase drugs from outside.”

Kangongo said the County’s health department has installed systems in all the major county health facilities for monitoring the flow of drugs from hospital pharmacies to patients to curb diversion.

“We have very good governance framework in our facilities, and no pilferage has been experienced so far since we have automated systems for monitoring drugs and that also help us to re-order drugs before they run out of stock,” she said.

Rogue hospital administrators and health officials who divert drugs were also warned that they will face disciplinary measures.

“Matters health must be observed keenly and anyone caught diverting county drugs either for personal use or for sale will face the full force of the law,” she stated.

The drugs are supplied and distributed through the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), who committed a steady supply to the County.

“We have put into consideration all the requests made by our health facilities and the distribution process will go on until they are all served,” a statement from KEMSA stated.

Last year, KEMSA had stopped issuing drugs to the Nairobi County Government health facilities due to a huge debt that had accumulated over the years even before the current administration came into place.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Going forward, Kangongo said the County and KEMSA have agreed that supply of medicine in County hospitals will be done promptly.

The County’s health department has assured Nairobi residents that by next week all county health facilities will be restocked.

About The Author

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News