Governor Kihika Responds To Claims Of Giving Expired Drugs To HIV Patients
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has denied charges that the Nakuru Level Five Hospital exposed HIV/AIDS patients to expired medications.
In a brief statement issued on Wednesday, March 5, Kihika emphasized that the aforementioned medications had expired before 2022 and could no longer be prescribed due to a change in treatment protocol.
Clarification on Report on Expired Drugs:
— Susan Kihika (@susankihika) March 5, 2025
These are HIV drugs that could no longer be prescribed due to change of treatment protocol. They couldn't be disposed off because they have to await auditors from the Global Fund.
Further,these drugs expired before the year 2022. pic.twitter.com/8ZBZpR5DT6
Despite their expiry date, the governor stated that the pharmaceuticals could not be disposed of until they were audited by the Global Fund, an international financing and cooperation agency.
Roselyn Mungai, Head of the Nakuru County Department for Health Services, echoed Kihika’s concerns.
Mungai revealed that the first batch of expired drugs included program medicines given by a development partner.
According to Mungai, the program pills expired due to a change in the user protocol, which required the suspension of their delivery.
Mungai further indicated that the second shipment of medications was a contribution from KEMSA as short-expiry drugs designed for high-volume institutions.
However, despite the contribution, the pharmaceuticals were not among the critical medicines given to the Nakuru County Referral Hospital and were thus never administered to patients.
“Once drugs expire, the hospital cannot dispose of them until a stringent audit and disposal process is completed,” Mungai explained.
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“The Department of Health must be allowed to provide a formal response on these matters and all similar issues. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability in our Department of Health Services,” he added.
The clarification comes hours after a section of the media said that expired pharmaceuticals worth Ksh1.8 million were discovered in the storage of Nakuru Level Five Hospital.
How Hospital Exposed HIV, TB Patients to Expired Drugs
— THEE ALFA HOUSE (@thee_alfa_house) March 5, 2025
An audit of Nakuru Level Five Hospital uncovered expired drugs worth Sh1.8 million, exposing mismanagement and patient safety risks.
The expired stock included HIV and TB medications supplied by the Global Fund, with… pic.twitter.com/yR2b2t3UP7
The reports cited an audit done during the fiscal year 2023/2024, in which Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed that the institution endangered Kenyans’ lives by failing to dispose of expired drugs and medical equipment.
According to the findings, Gathungu went on to criticize the administration of Nakuru Level 5 Hospital for inadequate internal controls and a lack of sufficient procedures to regulate drug procurement at the facility.
Governor Kihika Responds To Claims Of Giving Expired Drugs To HIV Patients
