Patients with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Homa Bay County, Kenya, have expressed concerns over limited access to medication. The county's NCD Advocacy chapter Chairman, Kenneth Ouma, stated that only four public health facilities in the county provide NCD medication, and these are supported by non-governmental organizations. These facilities are Nyalkinyi and Marindi health centers, Kendu Bay Hospital, and Ndhiwa Hospital.
The health facilities that provide NCD services are supported by organizations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and the Shikuri Foundation. MSF provides services at Nyalkinyi, Marindi, and Kendu Bay health facilities, while the Shikuri Foundation supports services for sickle cell patients at Ndhiwa. However, Ouma noted that the services provided by these organizations can be terminated at any time, leaving patients without access to medication.
Ouma expressed concerns that public health facilities not supported by NGOs do not provide NCD patients with drugs free of charge. He argued that managing NCDs is too expensive for many families to manage on their own and urged the county government to put strategies in place to support NCD patients with drugs. Ouma also requested that the Health Department and the County Assembly make budgets specifically for NCD treatment.
The Secretary General of NCDs Patients' Organization in Homa Bay County, Tom Mboya, echoed Ouma's sentiments, stating that failure to equip public health facilities with NCD drugs puts their lives at risk. Mboya urged the county government to start NCD treatment in all 12 sub-counties to guarantee residents good health. He emphasized that adequate money must be allocated to NDCs in the county budgets to achieve this goal.
Mboya expressed fears that the lives of NCD patients will be at risk if non-governmental organizations terminate their services. He stated that better medication for NCD patients will improve the productivity of Homa Bay residents, which is essential for economic growth. Mboya also noted that access to NCD drugs must be prioritized in the county budget each financial year to guarantee good health.
Trizer Ochieng, a patient, emphasized that the high cost of medication for NCDs endangers the lives of patients. Ochieng stated that majority of deaths are due to lack of drugs and appealed for support in medication. The patients' concerns highlight the need for the county government to prioritize NCD treatment in its budget.
The patients' advocacy group is calling for the county government to allocate a special budget for NCD treatment, rather than relying on a consolidated health budget. They believe that this will ensure that NCD patients receive the medication they need to manage their conditions effectively. Key points include:
Key points
- Patients with NCDs in Homa Bay County are urging the county government to improve budgetary allocations for medication procurement.
- Only four public health facilities in the county provide NCD medication, and these are supported by non-governmental organizations.
- The patients' advocacy group is calling for a special budget for NCD treatment to guarantee residents good health.
