Nakuru County Government is in the process of installing an automated drug management system to curb cases of drugs theft in public hospitals across the County.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for health Jacqueline Osoro assured that the County was implementing strategies to enhance healthcare services that will help curb shortage of medical drugs in public hospitals and health centres.
Speaking Monday during an impromptu visit to Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital, the CECM said that issuance and receiving of drugs at the health facilities will be done through the automated system to seal any kind of leakages and ensure availability of all drugs at the facilities.
Ms Osoro said that the County was prioritizing automation of the drugs management system which she added will enable her department to monitor the drugs and seal all the loopholes that make it possible for individuals to smuggle out some of the drugs for private marketing.
She revealed that the county had put elaborate measures in place to ensure that services in public hospitals are not disrupted and that Kenyans were receiving dignified healthcare services.
“No Kenyan seeking medical services in the county hospitals should be forced to buy drugs. We have taken measures to ensure quality service is delivered in our hospitals,” Osoro said.
Osoro noted that paper-based drug management model left room for a lot of tampering that could go unnoticed.
She said they were designing the system that will also enable them to track essential drugs requirements, therefore enabling them to duly replenish stocks at specific health facilities where stocks have gone low.
The CECM said in some public health facilities countrywide, cases of patients being forced to buy even the essential drugs in what has been read as collusion between medical practitioners and chemists and pharmacists have been reported.
Osoro warned that anyone found in possession of stolen drugs or discovered to be colluding with unscrupulous elements to steal the medicines risked being prosecuted and losing their jobs.
“We are very passionate about the health of our people and anyone found diverting drugs from their intended destination will not be tolerated,” said the CECM.
She noted that Governor Susan Kihika’s government was upgrading public health facilities across the county to decongest the Referral Hospital.
She said that they were conducting regular supervision of hospitals, clinics and dispensaries to identify and rectify issues within healthcare facilities, leading to better patient care and outcomes whilst addressing operational bottlenecks and holding healthcare providers accountable for their responsibilities.
To enhance the efficiency of services, the CECM said the health department had operationalized the patient queue management system, ensuring a smoother patient flow.
By Esther Mwangi
