The Kajiado County government has restocked health facilities within its five sub-counties with fast-moving drugs and non-pharmaceutical essentials worth Sh30 million.
While officially flagging off the distribution process, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said that his administration is committed to ensuring that hospitals have enough drugs and doctors have the essential non-pharmaceuticals for smooth operations.
Speaking at the Kajiado Referral Hospital, Ole Lenku said that the drug distribution exercise was part of the county’s effort to ensure that all its health facilities and hospitals provide appropriate care to Kajiado residents.
“We are committed to making sure that the promise we gave to the people of Kajiado that in every sub-county we have a level four hospital is fulfilled. We are yet to complete the two remaining ones for Elang’ata Wuas and Mile 46, but they are part of our priority action areas,” said Governor Lenku.
He further cautioned that pilferage of whatever form would not be tolerated as a community’s development is dependent on the health of its people.
The governor further revealed that the county is putting plans in place to ensure that all the elderly people in the county have health insurance cards.
While acknowledging that the county does not have enough health practitioners, Ole Lenku added that even as the county constructs more hospitals, they are also planning to recruit more health workers.
“We are going to focus on three things: a good working environment for our working health resources, effective working tools, and an appropriate number of health practitioners for our hospitals,” said Governor Lenku.
Kajiado County Executive Committee Member for Health Alex Kilowua said that the distribution is a top-up as the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) had already distributed some drugs to the county.
Kilowua reiterated that the drugs should be in the health centres for their intended use and urged the medical superintendents and the sub-county pharmacists to ensure that the drugs are not diverted to private facilities.
By Diana Meneto and Sammy Rayiani
