Shortage of drugs hit Taita Taveta public hospitals

Public hospitals in Taita Taveta County are grappling with shortage of essential drugs, forcing residents to buy them from private pharmacies.

A spot check by Nation.Africa revealed that patients seeking services at the Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi are being referred to local pharmacies to get drugs for their treatment. 

The shortage of drugs is a result of the Sh70 million debt that the county government owes Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), which made the devolved unit to be blacklisted until it settles the debt.

This comes one month after Governor Granton Samboja assured residents that there were enough drugs at the Wundanyi central drugs store, and cautioned health workers against sending patients to buy drugs from private pharmacies.

Mr Samboja had asked residents to report such cases, warning that disciplinary measures would be taken against health workers who fail to prescribe available drugs.

The county boss had indicated that a section of medical workers was out to sabotage the county government's efforts to improve services in the health facilities. 

However, sub-county hospitals, health centres and dispensaries have been without drugs for the past two months.

Patients interviewed said they are usually asked to buy medicine from private pharmacies. 

Mr Mwachanje Maghanga, whose wife is admitted at Moi hospital in Voi said he has been buying drugs from pharmacies. 

Maghanga's wife has been admitted to the hospital for the last month after undergoing surgery after an ectopic pregnancy.

"I have been buying my wife's drugs from pharmacies. The doctors told me they don't have drugs for her treatment," he said.

Apart from spending money to buy the drugs, the hospital bill stands at Sh72,000, which he says is way too high for him to afford.

Another resident, Rosa Malemba said he had also been sent to buy drugs for her two-year-old daughter.

“I brought my child, but the doctor told me to get the drugs from a pharmacy. I have been told the drug costs Sh250, but I cannot afford it," she said.

Medics want the county government to tackle the issue of perennial drug shortages in public hospitals.

Health workers to Nation.Africa on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised raised the red flag, saying public health facilities in the county were experiencing an acute shortage of drugs, forcing them to send their patients to buy the drugs elsewhere. 

They said Kemsa stopped supplying drugs to county health facilities over a debt owed to it by the devolved unit.

"The drugs shortage is real. Sometimes the drugs are bought from local pharmacies because the county government has been blacklisted by Kemsa. The situation is really bad on the ground because the acquisition of drugs from these chemists is not demand-oriented,” said a health worker.

A section of leaders in the county said the shortage of drugs has left a trail of misery for residents. 

The leaders also raised concerns over the severe shortage of drugs and essential medical supplies in public hospitals. 

Mr Stephen Mwakesi said the county government needs to channel more resources in healthcare to improve the provision of better medical services to residents.

"It is unfortunate that the Moi hospital, which is our largest facility in the county can lack drugs for months. Something needs to be done to save this situation," he said.

Efforts to reach the County Executive for Health John Mwakima were in vain as he did not respond to calls placed on his mobile phone. 

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