Relief for residents as Turkana county procures Sh13.8 million drugs

Turkana county residents have been grappling with drug shortage. [File, Standard] Thousands of residents in Turkana can now breathe a sigh of relief after the county government procured essential drugs worth Sh13.8 million. This delivery is a relief for residents who have been purchasing medicines from private pharmacies. The consignment is part of a larger Sh59 million order placed in April that was delivered by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa). This includes a wide range of essential medications such as antibiotics, painkillers, antimalarials, anti-allergy drugs, family planning commodities, laboratory reagents, and non-pharmaceutical supplies. These medicines are expected to support health services in public facilities until September 2025. However, this delivery comes amid public concerns over drug shortage in health facilities. "There are no drugs in our hospital. If we are told to buy Panadol outside the hospital, what does that tell you? The situation is pathetic," lamented Sylvia Akeno, a resident of Kaikor. "We need the county government to procure drugs on time to save lives and reduce the costs we incur when buying medications," Akeno said. Susan Nabei, a mother from Nakwamekwi in Lodwar, echoed Akeno's sentiments saying, "we used to receive all medications, including Panadol for our children, at the hospital, but now we are always told to buy them from outside. That shouldn't be happening in public health facilities." The County's Chief Officer for Medical Services, Gilchrist Lokoel, acknowledged the concerns raised by residents and assured the public that measures are in place to streamline drug supply, improve monitoring, and hold staff accountable for mismanagement of medical supplies. "This week's consignment is part of an ongoing effort to stock our facilities," said Dr Lokoel. "We dispatched these drugs following supplies delivered between March and April. Most facilities we visited have sufficient stock for some time." He emphasized that essential medicines and programme commodities, particularly for high-burden diseases like malaria, are available in many facilities. Non-pharmaceutical items such as gloves, syringes, and reagents are also adequately supplied in most centers visited during recent field assessments. Lokoel warned that health workers found stealing or diverting government drugs would face immediate disciplinary action and arrest. "I want to be very clear, any staff found stealing drugs meant for our people will be arrested and prosecuted. We will not tolerate theft or misuse of public resources," he said. The county has intensified stock monitoring, routine inspections, and monthly facility reviews to enhance accountability and improve transparency in supply chain management. "Our spot checks indicate that essential commodities are generally available to serve the population of Turkana in our health facilities," Lokoel said, noting that some stockouts in specific facilities are due to delivery delays, poor road access, or reporting lapses.

Relief for residents as Turkana county procures Sh13.8 million drugs

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Relief for residents as Turkana county procures Sh13.8 million drugs

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