Homa Bay NCDs chapter chairman Kenneth Ouma speaks to the press in Homa Bay town/Robert Omollo
Homa Bay patients suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have appealed to the county government to allocate adequate funds for the purchase of drugs in public health facilities.
Statistics from the county health department indicate that NCDs are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the county.
According to the NCD Coordinator in the county department of health, Michael Ochola, 45 per cent of deaths in Homa Bay are caused by NCDs.
On the other hand, 50 per cent of patients admitted to the county’s hospitals suffer from NCDs.
“NCDs account for the largest percentage of deaths and illnesses in Homa Bay County. Forty-five per cent of patients who lose their lives in this county die from NCDs,” Ochola said.
Speaking during a consultative meeting in Homa Bay town, Ochola said many patients were concerned about the acute shortage of NCD drugs in public hospitals across the county.
For sickle cell patients, hydroxyurea — a drug used to suppress the disease — is unavailable in public health facilities in the county.
Private chemists stock the drug, but many patients say the prices are unaffordable.
Sickle cell warrior Terry Odero said the shortage had forced her to obtain the medicine from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
“I get the hydroxyurea from MTRH in Eldoret because it is not available in our public health facilities,” Odero said.
Homa Bay NCD chapter chairman Kenneth Ouma speaks during training in Homa Bay town/Robert Omollo
“There are patients without arrangements for getting the drugs free of charge. They are really suffering, and this puts most of us at risk of losing our lives,” she said.
Thomas Mboya, an NCD warrior, said the only long-term solution was proper budgetary allocation for NCD medication.
Mboya said this would enable the health department to maintain an adequate supply of drugs in the county.
“The long-term solution to this problem is proper allocation of funds for NCD drugs in the budget. We are appealing to the county government to ensure NCD drugs are available,” Mboya said.
The chairman of the NCD Chapter in Homa Bay County, Kenneth Ouma, said they were preparing a petition to the Homa Bay County Assembly seeking to have sickle cell drugs stocked in public health facilities.
They are also preparing a petition to the National Assembly to push for full coverage of NCD treatment under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“We want it to be within the legal framework so that NCD medication is given the priority it deserves by both the County Government of Homa Bay and the National Government,” Ouma said.
Catherine Orwa, the head of finance in the county department of health, admitted that the funds allocated for NCD treatment were insufficient.
“The monetary allocation for NCD treatment in our department is not enough. We appeal for improved allocation of funds,” Orwa said.
