Vihiga Governor warns health staff against drug misuse

Enock Amukhale 03rd December, 2025 02:01 PM

Vihiga Governor Wilberforce Ottichilo has warned county health staff against the misuse of drugs supplied to health facilities, stressing that these medications should benefit patients seeking treatment.

The governor urged residents to remain vigilant and report any cases of theft or misuse by facility staff. He emphasised that his administration, through the Department of Health, is working hard to ensure a steady supply of essential drugs to save lives.

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He made the remarks on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, while receiving a consignment of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical medical supplies worth Ksh 34 million from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

“The consignment, which includes pharmaceutical supplies worth Ksh 30 million and non-pharmaceutical supplies worth Ksh 4 million, will be distributed across the 75 health facilities in the county to support sustained service delivery,” said Ottichilo.

The governor said flagging off the consignment marks a significant step in strengthening healthcare delivery in line with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). He highlighted that Vihiga has spent several years building strong health systems and now has the necessary structures to ensure smooth and effective service delivery.

Vihiga Governor Wilberforce Ottichilo flags off a Ksh 34 million consignment of medical supplies for 75 county health facilities.PHOTO/https://www.facebook.com/share/1ZtGkmHuhn/

Ottichilo encouraged residents to enrol with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to access medical care and requested facility managers to utilise the newly received supplies efficiently for maximum impact.

He also expressed gratitude to KEMSA for their long-term partnership, noting that the county has maintained active engagement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) since he assumed office.

Under the Facility Improvement Fund (FIF) Act, funds collected through the SHA will be channelled back to facilities, enabling them to finance operations more sustainably. Ottichilo said the FIF fund remains a key priority in the CIDP, promoting improved health financing and facility autonomy.

The governor further encouraged county staff to prioritise public health facilities when seeking care and highlighted that Vihiga continues to exceed global health accessibility standards.

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He noted that no resident walks more than three kilometres to reach a health facility, surpassing the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of a five-kilometre radius.

“World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that one should not walk more than a five-kilometre radius seeking health services. In Vihiga, we have surpassed WHO recommendations by reducing the distance to three kilometres,” said Ottichilo.