Why diabetes patients want drugs in public health facilities
Nyanza
By
James Omoro
| Nov 19, 2025
Patients with diabetes in Homa Bay have called on the county government to provide them with medication in public health facilities.
The patients said they are unable to access the drugs at their nearest health facilities. They said the situation has forced them to rely on well-wishers such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which provides the drugs free of charge.
However, they noted that MSF offers the medication at only two facilities — Nyalkinyi Health Centre and Marindi Level Four Hospital in Homa Bay Sub-county. This arrangement only benefits patients who live near the two facilities.
Those from other sub-counties find it difficult to access the drugs because they have to spend a significant amount of money travelling to either of the two hospitals.
Martha Aduda, a survivor from Rangwe Sub-county, said she spends more than Sh600 a month to obtain the drugs from MSF at Nyalkinyi Health Centre.
READ MORE
Museveni's ocean access claim: What international laws say
Acorn eyes Nairobi's young workers with new Sh2.2b housing project
Over 2,000 EPZ workers return to work after union dispute
Why insurers are now betting against the national grid
Regional states advance plan for unified shipping line
Building alliances: Why African countries must invest in each other
Why accountants are concerned over Sh1.7tr unaccounted public expenditure
Statistics agency roots for better usage of data
How new AI systems could unlock opportunities for businesses, economy
Digital taxi drivers win fight for new rates as strike disrupts market
“We are grateful to MSF for giving us diabetes medication free of charge. We are appealing to the county department of health to support the initiative by providing us with the drugs at our nearest health facilities,” Aduda said.
According to Ismael Suleiman, a diabetes advocate, the lack of diabetes medication in local public health facilities puts patients’ health at risk.
He said the current economic situation makes it difficult for diabetic patients to afford the drugs.
“Getting diabetes medication in public health facilities is a serious challenge for many patients in our county. Those who live near the two facilities where MSF provides drugs are fine, but those in other sub-counties are grappling with high transport costs, which deny them access to treatment,” Suleiman said.
The MSF medical team leader, George Wambugu, urged the county government to allocate more funds to support the treatment of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
“We are urging the county government to invest more in NCD treatment,” Wambugu said.
Wambugu added that MSF is committed to ensuring that diabetes patients receive proper medication at the two health facilities where they operate.
During the event, MSF introduced the use of insulin pens to treat diabetic patients in the two health facilities. The insulin pen is used by patients with type one diabetes.
The insulin pen uses a tiny needle for injection and provides a more accurate dosage than the conventional vial.
“Our patients with type one diabetes are now using the insulin pen, but those with type two are still using the vial. The insulin pen is more efficient, and we have received positive feedback from patients who have used it,” Wambugu said.