Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim on Friday, September 9, 2022, presided over the official opening of the Burnt Forest Revolving Fund Pharmacy (RFP).
The pharmacy has been opened through a partnership between the county and USAID/Ampath.
Speaking during the event, Chelilim said similar pharmacies will be opened in 8 other county health facilities with plans to open even more.
The opening of the revolving fund pharmacies comes as a relief to patients with chronic diseases after the previous administration closed them in 2019.
When closing the pharmacies, County Executive Committee Member for Health Dr Evelyne Rotich said was because they had breached a Memorandum of Understanding.
“The revolving fund pharmacies breached the MoU by, for example, stocking drugs that had not been agreed upon, thus creating a conflict of interest with the county government,” Dr Rotich said in 2019.
But speaking during the opening of the pharmacy in Burnt Forest, the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Director Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo said the pharmacies were closed because they were too successful.
He hailed the new administration for reconsidering the closure.
But according to Chelilim, the pharmacies will help ensure locals get services closer to them.
Subsidized drugs
Further, he pointed out that through the Revolving Fund Pharmacies (RFP), locals with chronic diseases will now be able to access drugs at a subsidized price.
“Benefits of these RFP is subsidized drugs in facilities to patients, especially with chronic diseases like diabetes. I thank the Ampath team for making it possible,” Chelilim said.
“I call upon all partners involved in this initiative to work closely and ensure the community benefits from services rendered through the model. With prudent management, we will enhance drug availability in health facilities,” he added.
Other facilities that will also have an operational Revolving Fund Pharmacy include the Uasin Gishu County Hospital, Ziwa Hospital, Turbo Sub County Hospital, Pioneer Health Facility, Huruma Sub County Hospital and Soy Health facility.
With the reopening of the 8 RFP, at least 11,000 chronic disease patients across Uasin Gishu County are set to benefit.
