The county government of Busia remains committed in ensuring it provides essential primary health care services to its residents, which is viewed as the county primary mandate of mitigating deaths of its residents in health care facilities. However, death cases in the county have been on a rising trend in recent days as a result of negligence by health practitioners, shortage of pharmaceutical supplies and continuous strikes by medics over delayed payment or promotions. In order to address this, Busia deputy governor Arthur Odera, who doubles up as the CEC of Health has laid strategies in place to automate all services in the healthcare centers in the county to curb cases of drug pilferage and monitor operations of medics while on duty. His move comes after he paid an impromptu visit to Kocholia Sub County Referral hospital, which has been trending for poor services in the recent days. ‘The health care services in our county have been on a worrying trend with most of our facilities lacking basic items like gloves, cotton wool, syringe and worse of just paracetamols,’ said Odera. He added that medics in all health facilities will have to account for drugs received against services rendered. Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma and the county health committee visit county referral hospital to ascertain the state of the facility. ‘You must account for all drugs received as a facility during our weekly audit,’ Odera warned medics. His sentiments were echoed by Busia Governor Dr. Paul Nyogesa Otuoma while speaking to residents of Ang’urai ward in Teso North sub county during the distribution of relief foods and other items to victims of a storm which occurred on 24th last month. Dr. Otuoma noted that he will incorporate the Members of County Assembly (MCA) and Ward administrators in monitoring and management of hospitals in Busia in effort to resolve the problem of drug pilferage and poor services. ‘I will work together with the MCAs and Ward administrators in ensuring that this problem of medicine unavailability in public health facilities is dealt with,’ said Dr. Paul Otuoma. According to the Governor, the problems in the health department arises from a syndicate of collusion among staff in public health facilities to steal pharmaceutical supplies and sell them to private pharmacies, owned by most of them or at worst sell to Uganda. The governor urged MCAs and residents to be vigilant to protect the facilities which are in pathetic conditions having failed to attract revenues with residents using insurance cards opting for private hospitals or neighboring counties of Bungoma, Siaya and Kakamega. ‘We will use technology to sample out people who have been treated through the health portfolio and even do a physical confirmation to ascertain that treatment has taken place,’ added Otuoma. The governor gave warning to all healthcare workers that the county will fire anybody dragging or planning to paralyse operations of health services. The governor urged residents to register for medical insurance cover because medicine will be available in hospitals. Community Health Promoters were also remunerated and provided with health equipment for efficient provision of primary health care.
Source: Kenya News Agency