Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru was on Wednesday forced to storm out of a meeting when residents of her county heckled her.
The Governor had arranged a status meeting to deliberate on county development vision 2035 where an elderly resident spoke out on mistreatment at a government hospital in the county.
"Last week my grandchild was taken ill with pneumonia and difficulty in breathing and we visited Kianyaga hospital. After consultation, we were informed that there are no drugs and the only option is to go and buy at a private chemist. I spent Sh2,000 on the drugs!" the resident complained.
Governor Waiguru offended the residents by stating: "There is no way you can be forced to buy drugs when there is enough in all health facilities in the county," a remark that sparked the dissenting heckles from the crowd.
[caption caption="Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru"]
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Responding to the residents, the Governor left the meeting and went straight to the Kianyaga sub-county hospital accompanied by Kirinyaga's Health Executive Agnes Gachoki and other senior ministry officials.
While at the health facility, Governor Waiguru uncovered that the medics were operating their own private clinics and were referring patients to the private institutions with the prescriptions.
The discovery prompted a gubernatorial edict that prohibited medics from running a private practice while still holding a government position.
"Those still holding on to their clinics and pharmacies better close them down or resign from government jobs," the Governor warned.
Health CEC Gachoki also instructed the government facility to immediately purchase drugs that were unavailable and in the meantime, prescribe alternatives to patients.
President Uhuru Kenyatta recently made a trip to the county where he launched the construction of the Sh19 Billion Thiba Dam project.
[caption caption="Governor Waiguru during an impromptu visit to Kianyaga Sub-county Hospital"]
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