Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti on Wednesday stated that her administration would follow the law in closing down chemists owned by doctors employed by the county government.
The move comes in response to several complaints citing a conflict of interest and concerns from residents regarding doctors neglecting their duties to manage these chemists.
Speaking in Mbiuni, Mwala Sub County, the Governor also lamented that the doctors have developed a habit of stealing drugs procured by the county government.
The Governor elected under the Wiper Party further revealed that she had already engaged the police and The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to nab the doctors committing the infractions.
“There are people who are stealing medicine and taking them to their hospitals,” she revealed describing the vice as widespread rot.
“The County cannot be buying medicine and people steal them for their own chemists.”
As she waited for security and anti-corruption officers to act, Wavinya revealed that her administration was also formulating policies to curb the vice.
“Why should you have a private chemist and you are working in a hospital? Choose whether to work in the hospital or in your chemist,” she sounded a warning.
The former Kathiani MP revealed that she had received intelligence reports that doctors were stealing drugs from Machakos Level 5 Hospital.
In what represents a blatant disregard for the law, the Governor revealed that the stolen drugs were finding their way to private-owned medical facilities located just beside the Level 5 Hospital.
To curb this, the Governor hinted that her administration had come up with a plan to mark all medicine procured by the government to prevent theft.
“We are lacking money for the exercise but once we receive funds we will start the branding process,” she promised.
The theft of government-procured drugs by healthcare workers has significantly impacted public healthcare in the country.
In February of this year, Governor Kimani Wamatangi of Kiambu expressed the challenges his county faced due to ongoing incidents of healthcare workers pilfering drugs from government hospital pharmacies.
Similarly, during the same month in Nairobi, three individuals were apprehended under suspicion of engaging in the theft of essential medical supplies.
