Shortage of Medicine hits Laikipia County

An acute drug shortage has hit various public hospitals and other health facilities in Laikipia county forcing patients to opt for private hospitals.

This comes after the county government failed to supply the drugs to the institutions for the last three months.

According to the information privy to Citizen Digital, the last time the hospitals were supplied with the commodities was in July this year.

Laikipia Senator Godfrey Kariuki has accused the county government of negligence and misplaced priorities which have led to shortage of medicine in all health facilities within the county.

The senator spoke while on a tour to various health facilities within Laikipia West Sub County yesterday, where he witnessed patients directed to private chemists to buy drugs.

Kariuki ordered the management of Ndurumo health center to close down the institution as pain killers were not at the store for patients.

He described it as unfortunate for government officers to deceive Kenyans that they were offering quality services yet they had nothing to offer especially for people who are in dire need of medical attention.

“Why keep on lying to the common Mwananchi that you are offering services and yet what you are doing is nothing, Please let the patients know that there are no services here by closing the facility until you get the drugs,” he told the nurse on duty at the facility.

He said it was unfortunate that such crucial facilities could remain for a long time without being attended to and called on those responsible to ensure they deliver services or vacate their respective offices.

He further questioned how the health centers were operating without drugs yet the national government had disbursed money for their operations.

The Senator challenged residents to remain vigilant and ensure that they monitor how public resources were being utilized.

He noted that leaders were not being sincere and responsible despite the constitution giving clear guide and duties to their respective positions.

He further said that it was a wrong advice to devolve the health sector.

“This is one of the major mistakes that we did. The function should have been left with the National government as the Counties have already failed us. How can a health center lack drugs for the last one month and yet there is nothing being done?” He posed.

Ndurumo Dispensary Nurse in-charge Mrs. Agnes Wanjiru King’ori unveiled that the facility lacks personnel despite that area serving more people than its capacity.

The Nurse said the dispensary has remained without drugs for the last two months though she was optimistic that the county government would disburse a consignment soon.

Residents accused the county administration for the lack of drugs and called for urgent attention to save the many lives of residents who depends on the health facility.

Laikipia County Executive Committee member (CEC) in-charge of Health Dr. David Njoroge later confessed that there was a problem with the supply of the drugs.

He associated the delay with the failure by the national Government to remit funds to the counties on time.

Dr Njoroge said that the county had made orders to the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency on time but the national government failed to remit funds thereby causing the delay in the supplies.

He however assured residents that the drugs will be available by the end of this week as the funds are made available.