The Nakuru County Government has responded to concerns raised by the Auditor General regarding expired HIV and tuberculosis (TB) drugs worth Sh2 million at Nakuru Level Five Hospital. The county’s Health Executive, Roselyn Mungai, attributed the expiry to a change in user protocol, making the drugs unusable.
Mungai explained that the drugs came from two sources development partners and the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa). The first batch, donated by development partners, became obsolete due to new medical guidelines that rendered their distribution impractical. The second batch, from Kemsa, was categorized as “short-expiry drugs” meant for high-volume facilities but was not purchased by the county government.
“The first set of drugs consists of program drugs donated by our development partner. The expiration of these drugs was caused by a change in the user protocol, which necessitated the stoppage of their distribution,” Mungai said in a statement.
She further explained that expired drugs cannot be disposed of immediately due to strict auditing and disposal procedures. “Once drugs expire, the hospital cannot dispose of them until a stringent audit and disposal process is completed,” she added.
The county’s explanation follows a report by the Auditor General covering the 2023/2024 financial year. The report, based on an inspection conducted on October 8, 2024, revealed that expired drugs worth Sh1.8 million were still stored in the hospital pharmacy. It also raised concerns that the hospital management did not provide a satisfactory explanation for keeping expired drugs supplied by Kemsa.
During the financial year, Nakuru County procured medical supplies worth Sh114.6 million from Kemsa and alternative suppliers. The auditor’s findings have sparked concerns about drug management at public health facilities, with critics questioning why expired drugs were not identified and removed earlier.
Despite the concerns, Mungai reassured the public of the county’s commitment to accountability in handling medical supplies. She emphasized that all expired drugs go through the proper disposal channels to ensure public safety.
As scrutiny over medical supply management intensifies, stakeholders will be keen to see what measures the county implements to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
