By Betty Luke
Patients seeking services at the Isiolo County Referral Hospital have for the past few days been forced to buy medicine including essential drugs at local chemists due to shortage at the facility.
Patients who spoke to The Press Point lamented that they were being referred to some chemists to buy the drugs being sold at exorbitant prices.
“The private chemists are selling drugs at higher prices but we have no option,” said 35-year-old Ms Nuria Yusuf.
Mr Charles Mutuma expressed fears that the drugs sold outside could be generic and substandard making it hard to achieve the desired results.
“I have no option than to buy the drugs while I pray hard that I get healed,” Mr Mutuma said after buying drugs at a chemist near the hospital. “One cannot even know whether the drugs offered at the chemist are those prescribed by the medics,” he added.
But Health Chief Officer Ibrahim Alio maintained that the hospital currently had adequate supplies of medicine.
“It is expected that some drugs may not be available in Government hospitals but we have adequate supplies,” Mr Alio told The Press Point.
The county government has also been challenged to improve services at the local health facilities to rid residents the burden of paying more at the private hospitals.
“Governor Mohammed Kuti should improve services across health facilities to rid patients of the struggle of seeking services at private facilities,” said Mr Ismael Adan.
