By Orenge Wycliff
Kisii Governor Simba on Saturday night claimed rife smuggling and trading of illicit drugs in and out of Kisii Teaching and Referral, the County’s flagship health facility
The hawking, he said, often goes on at night from people who pose as kin to patients being attended at the Wards.
He described this as a security risk which must be acted on by security agencies.
“Already a few suspects have since been seized and taken into the cells
” I praise our security agencies for the brave act ,” Arati told journalists.
The Governor spoke after doing a marathon round visits at the Wards at the facility.
The night tour which lasted over three hours was impromptu whereby he found other patients sleeping in pairs on beds saying this increases the risk of infection.
At the emergency wing, watchman deployed to guard the hospital were acting as paramedics.
The County boss said poor coordination of operations at the hospital appear to be licensing the flourishing smuggling of the illicit drugs .
The business is made possible by people who freely roam in and out at night of the hospital in the pretext of offering patient care, the governor said .
Arati quickly ordered that there shall be no further night care of patients from relatives.
Mr. Arati made it clear that he is not pleased to see various people sleeping on the pavements awaiting their ailing relatives and hence directed that the medics in charge will be taking care of the patients.
“We will not be having people sleeping on the pavements waiting on their ailing relatives anymore , only medics here will be at hand taking care of the patients.”
Simba Arati- Governor Kisii County
The Governor stormed into the KTRH facility a few minutes to 9pm on Saturday and left at 1am Sunday.
The governor was accompanied by the CEC health Ronald Nyakweba and the hospital chief executive Officer Dr. Oimeke Mariita.
Arati said he was dismayed that some rogue medics were still referring patients to purchase drugs from pharmacies outside yet the hospital had stocked sufficient stocks of all basic drugs.
Angry Arati fumed at the incidences whereby patients are given prescriptions to go and buy Medicines from the chemists and pharmacies in the streets and confirmed that he has scribbled the papers referring them to those stores.
“I have already seen scribbled papers referring them to purchase drugs from drugs stores out in the streets. I assure that any doctor who is still doing this must go, i have no place for thieves.”
Simba Arati- Governor Kisii county