Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has said the Coronavirus (Covid-19) that is threatening human race has led to increased prices of drugs.
The Governor said drugs they used to purchase from Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) at Ksh200 per tablet has increased by 300 per cent.
” This latest development has affected our budgetary expenditure to an extend that we might be forced to procure less drugs than anticipated,” he said.
He said the International community should come up with intervention measures to control the spread of Covid-19 to save counties from skyrocketing prices of drugs, arising from travel bans with countries which reported cases of the contagious disease.
Speaking during the burial service of Standard six pupil Albert Opiyo at Koteko in Teso North Sub County on Saturday, the Governor also defended the move not to return the health docket back to the National government.
“When we took over in 2013, the health department was in a pathetic state, but we managed to put it to admirable standards and allocating the lion’s share of the budget,” he said.
Ojaamong was concerned that residents of Teso region are not seeking treatment at Kocholia Sub County hospital in preference for Ugandan hospitals which have no better equipment than Kocholia.
He said there is urgent need to organize rallies in the area to educate residents that all sub county hospitals in the county have modern facilities, thus the need to embrace these institutions.
The Governor assured Community Health Volunteers that Sh16 million is available for payment of their stipends, adding that the balance will be paid later.
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