Health workers in Trans Nzoia protest lack of medical supplies
Trans Nzoia health workers staging a protest outside Governor Patrick Khaemba's office on April 5, 2022. They have demanded that the county government equips heath facilities with medical supplies.
The Trans Nzoia County government is being blamed for a shortage of medical supplies in health centres, with medics staging a protest on Tuesday against the suffering of patients.
They said the situation has persisted for three months, and county officials have not acted to resolve the issue.
All public health facilities in the county are affected, with the referral hospital in Kitale, the most visited by patients, bearing the brunt of the shortages.
Health centres don’t have drugs and other pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical supplies, doctors and nurses said.
Black tea
Most of the facilities also don’t have basic food supplies like milk, and patients drink black tea.
The disgruntled medics, unable to bear with the situation anymore, camped at the offices of Governor Patrick Khaemba on Tuesday, demanding to speak with him.
They threatened to paralyse operations at all hospitals unless they were stocked with drugs immediately.
Patients have decried the shortage of drugs at Kitale County Referral Hospital, saying county officials had left patients on their own.
They complained that for about six months, they have been directed to buy drugs from certain pharmacies in town yet the county government had assured them that drugs would be available.
"You cannot find even painkillers in the hospital. We are referred to purchase these drugs from chemists despite NHIF being active. We would rather see this hospital closed and those seeking votes should not come to us," lamented resident James Wafula.
Hospital beautification
Medics are not amused that Kitale County Referral Hospital managers are beautifying the facility yet it has no drugs. The intensive care units at the facility have not been spared the agony, said Dr Geoffrey Kasembeli, a gynecologist in the county who led the protest.
Mary Njenga, a patient, said it is unfair and unfortunate for the county government to subject patients to suffering as many visit the public hospitals because they cannot afford private hospitals.
“Many patients who visit these hospitals do so because they cannot afford private facilities. Why would one be diagnosed then referred elsewhere for medicine where you pay?" she asked.
Paediatric ICU
Rachael Injinia, a paediatric doctor, asked Governor Khaemba to take urgent steps to ensure all hospitals receive drugs to avoid deaths among infants.
"It is very stressful whenever kids are in hospital and even more so when they are in the paediatric Intensive Care Unit and there is no medicine," she said.
She said it had become extremely difficult for the sick to get services due to the shortage of medical supplies, with those in intensive care units the most affected.
Dr. Geoffrey Kasembeli addressing journalists outside the Trans Nzoia county government offices. Health workers in the county staged a protest on Tuesday over lack of medical supplies in public health facilities.
Dr Kasembeli none of the public health facilities had medical supplies.
He accused county officials of a haphazard and uncoordinated response.
"The county government’s negligence regarding the supply of pharmaceuticals and other non-pharmaceuticals is completely unacceptable,” he said.
"The county government has failed to stock medical facilities with medical supplies, despite health being a devolved function. You can only find open shelves at all medical facilities,” he said.
Procured
Health Chief Officer Charles Barasa told the Nation that the county had procured medical supplies from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa).
"We are aware of the situation and we have ordered the drugs from Kemsa. It is just a matter of time before they become available on the shelves," he said.
But the medics said they will continue protesting until the county provides the required medical supplies at all hospitals.
