Kisumu County has received medical supplies worth Sh30 Million to be distributed to over 29 public health facilities within the region.
The Deputy Governor, Dr Mathew Owili, flagged off the assortment of medical commodities from Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to ensure uninterrupted healthcare service delivery to the more than 400,000 residents.
The development seeks to strengthen primary healthcare and alleviate acute drug shortages in the lakeside county following the dispatch of drugs to all the local dispensaries and health centres.
“Primary care needs are going to be taken care of by the County Government. All the public hospitals are well equipped and stocked with medicine, hence I urge the sick to visit any facility to get medication,” said Dr Gregory Ganda, Ag. CEC Health and Sanitation.
Ganda who also attended the flagging off event, encouraged residents to enroll in the Marwa Health Insurance Scheme that provides 100 percent health insurance to 90,000 indigent households in Kisumu. After achieving tremendous success, the scheme is set to be rolled out to the public in the coming weeks.
Dr Emma Obegi, Ag Director of Medical Services, said the consignment contained laboratory reagents, drugs, and medical supplies that would last the county three months. She said plans are underway to place another order to avoid intermittent supplies of the important commodities.
At the same time, Ganda noted that the drugs delivery was delayed by three weeks due to changes at the helm of Kenya’s sole medical supplier.
The remarks come amidst numerous complaints about the lack of drugs in various public hospitals where patients are required to buy drugs in private chemists.
The Deputy Governor reiterated that the county was committed to fulfilling the National Government’s Big Four Agenda of affordable health care for all.
By Robert Ojwang’
