Kenya is facing a crisis after reports indicated that the country has run out of hydroxyurea, a drug used to treat terminally ill patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and sickle cell anemia.
CML is a rare blood cell cancer that starts in the bone marrow while sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder that makes red blood cells break down.
Kenyans with patients and medics have complained over the past weeks about the shortage of the life-saving drug, blaming the government for inaction.
"Sickle cell crisis is a painful complication of sickle cell anemia. Currently, the drug hydroxyurea, crucial for managing these crises, is out of stock nationwide," David Jesse, a medic, noted on Thursday.
"Parents with SCD children are distressed as they struggle to source hydroxyurea."
SCD is common in regions where malaria is common, mostly in Nyanza and Western Kenya regions. According to experts, the disease started as a result of a gene mutation to fight malaria.
"The shortage of hydroxyurea is a major concern for patients with CML and sickle cell disease. The cost of hydroxyurea has gone up from Ksh40 to Ksh65 per tablet and its scare or not available, what's happening," Kabongo Tan noted in a statement.
Kenyans.co.ke reached out to Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA), which did not dispute the claim but explained that the shortage of hydroxyurea in public stores could be blamed on the counties.
KEMSA Communication officer explained that the authority cannot be blamed for lack of the medicine in public facilities since it is the responsibility of the county governments to make orders for the medicine.
The officer noted that supply chain disruptions could also be due to a lack of priority on the part of county managers, increased demand for the drug, and financial constraints faced by the devolved units.
"It is the responsibility of the county governments to order the drugs, then they can distribute them to strategic stores and hospitals. The shortage of hydroxyurea is a reminder of the fragility of our health system. When a single drug becomes unavailable, it can have a devastating impact on patients," the official explained.
The KEMSA official also urged county governments to work closely with the authority in order to address the problem urgently, noting that the complaints raised very concerning issues.
