Siaya County Government will ring fence money meant for purchase of medical supplies, area governor James Orengo has said.
Orengo said that nobody will be allowed to spend any coin set aside for the medical sector no matter the emergency, adding that failure to safeguard the funds have in the past saw public suffer for lack of drugs.
He was speaking outside his office Thursday, when he flagged off a consignment of drugs worth Sh45 million from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
The governor, who flanked by his deputy, William Oduol, County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation, Dismas Wakla and County Secretary Joseph Ogutu, said that failure to settle medical bills has in the past affected the supply chain, forcing residents to spend more to purchase drugs in private chemists.
“We have had a dry spell for four months which was unfortunate. We have agreed as a team that going forward, we must pay KEMSA and other drug suppliers on time,” he said, adding that there was nothing as bad as having hospitals without drugs and other facilities.
Orengo said his government has put in place mechanisms to ensure regular supply from KEMSA.
He at the same time warned the health staff against diverting the supplies to private clinics and pharmacies, adding that he will be making impromptu visits to health facilities to monitor the use of the drugs and other medical supplies.
By Philip Onyango
