The Council of Governors (CoG) yesterday urged the Ministry of Health to establish elaborate systems to curb the theft of medical supplies.

Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang Nyong’o who is the  CoG’s Health Committee chair condemned reports of theft of essential cancer drugs at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) saying such acts deny life-saving care to patients.

“CoG’s attention is drawn to recent reports in the media on massive theft of cancer drugs of over Sh4.6 million at our premier national teaching and referral hospital, KNH. These reports are suggestive of well-orchestrated efforts to deny citizens their realisation right to health, primarily by people entrusted with a duty of care. These incidents are unfortunate and most disheartening,” said Nyong’o, who spoke at CoG’s headquarters in Nairobi.

He said the actions negate healthcare sector reform initiatives by the national and county governments.

The governors mentioned private wings, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and cancer wards as major avenues of drug theft.

They also stated that medicines are lost in transit from pharmacies and stores to the wards and that a syndicate involving porters, security and healthcare workers had been identified.

“Patients are denied care due to evil practices by health personnel who have been sworn to essentially discharge their duties. In the meantime, the culprits have not been punished,” said the Governor.

Conflict of interest

He urged the Ministry of Health to enhance systems to enable end-to-end visibility of the use of all drugs in hospitals and improve the supply chain infrastructure and information systems.

The governors also want the Ministry to ensure there is no conflict of interest between those who manage the cancer unit at KNH and private hospitals since reports had shown that stolen drugs find their way into facilities owned by a senior official at the KNH Cancer Unit.

“It is urgent to invest heavily in the development of human resources at the KNH, especially cancer specialists equipped with the most modern tools for diagnosis and treatment of cancer,” he said.

The governors’ remarks come days after six KNH employees were charged with several counts of stealing cancer drugs worth millions of shillings.

The prosecution alleged that on diverse dates between April 5 and May 24, the suspects, being KNH employees attached to the Kenyatta Prime Care Centre Pharmacy, jointly with others not before court, stole  cancer drugs valued at Sh4,675,147.

“The burden of non-communicable diseases in the country has been rising. Cancers account for the third largest cause of death in Kenya, after infectious and cardiovascular diseases,” said the governors.

Out of reach

Every year an estimated 42,116 new cases of cancer are reported with the number of deaths estimated at 27,092 annually as documented in the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) GLOBOCAN report for 2020.

“The health and economic burden attributable to cancer in Kenya is enormous. Families have been driven into poverty from high out-of-pocket payments for healthcare especially for cancer. Standard courses of treatment for most common cancers in Kenya remain out of reach for most Kenyans,” said Nyong’o.

Regarding finances, the Kisumu Governor said counties were in the current Financial Year allocated Sh39.9 billion as additional funds but so far, no County Government had received the money with one month left to the end of the financial year.

He regretted that some of National Government Ministries, Departments and agencies responsible for various conditional grants had revised downwards the amounts due to be disbursed to counties in this financial year to about Sh24 billion.

“We implore the National Treasury to transfer Sh39.9 billion owed to counties without undue delay and undeducted as articulated in the County Governments Additional Allocations Act, 2022 to ensure that Counties implement their budgets and plan accordingly,” the CoG said.

On Equitable share of revenue, he said only 17 counties had received last month’s allocations.

Some 30 counties are yet to receive their April allocations and all 47 counties their May allocations, with total arrears owed to them being Sh53.9 billion.

Cumulatively, the CoG said, National Treasury had disbursed 77 per cent of the total allocation for the financial year 2021/22 with only four weeks remaining, which brings the outstanding balances amount to Sh83.5 billion or 23 per cent.

“These perennial delays have negatively affected service delivery in the counties and led to continuous accumulation of pending bills. This is already threatening the desired smooth transition after the August General Election,” said the CoG.