This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
Nairobi County hospitals have been criticized for stocking expired drugs and non-pharmaceuticals, with Mbagathi County Hospital holding expired items worth over Sh1.4 million.
The revelation was made in a report by the Nairobi County Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) after reviewing the Auditor General's report on the financial statements of Nairobi City County for the year ended June 30, 2017.
According to the report, Mbagathi County Hospital was holding expired drugs and pharmaceutical items amounting to over Sh1.4 million, with most of the items supplied by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa).
The hospital's management could not explain the reasons for the expiry of the drugs, and the committee noted that the hospital's pharmaceutical department and stores also had expired drugs and pharmaceutical items worth Sh1,410,826.
The report criticized the county hospitals for not having a structured and predictable way of procuring drugs, relying instead on the department to supply the drugs.
"Procurement of drugs that are likely to expire in a short while leads to loss of public resources and in some instances, if used, exposes risks to patients in public hospitals," the report stated.
Among the expired drugs found at Mbagathi County Hospital were paracetamol, antacids, dental cartridges, hydrogen peroxide, and ranitidine injection.
The facility was also faulted for being oversupplied with almost expiring drugs, with the committee noting that the hospital had too much non-pharmaceutical items worth over Sh3 million, with most nearing expiry period.
In their response, the county executive blamed the expired drugs and non-pharmaceuticals on the prolonged doctors' strike that occurred from December 2016 to March 2017 and the nurses' strike that followed from June 2017 to November 2017.
The Mabatini Ward MCA Wilfred Odalo-led committee also raised issues with Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, where it emerged that the facility's management could not account for drugs worth Sh148,890.
The committee called on the county to develop a policy guiding the procurement and supply of drugs to county hospitals to eliminate ambiguities that lead to supply of unnecessary and expired drugs.
