Relief as Kemsa delivers Sh46m worth of drugs in Taita Taveta

The county has received its second batch of drugs and other medical supplies in a period of three weeks as it seeks to end an acute shortage of drugs in its health facilities.

Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) had supplied the first consignment of essential drugs last month to the main hospitals in Voi, Wundanyi, Mwatate and Taveta.

Health executive Daniel Makoko said the second consignment will be distributed to public rural health facilities in the county.

The Sh46 million consignment will replenish the available stock with a view to ending months of shortage. Kemsa had suspended its supplies to the county due to a Sh70 million debt.

The agency last supplied medicine in August last year, leaving the hospitals have to operate without essential drugs for nearly six months.

The lack of medicines left patients in agony as they were being forced to buy prescribed drugs from private pharmacies, which increasing the cost of accessing basic health care for a majority of residents.

Those living at the Taveta border town opted to seek treatment in neighbouring Tanzania due to the crisis.