Kenya: Health system 'needs overhaul'

Every year thousands of Kenyans go without essential medicines because of poor supply chain management, corruption and insufficient funding of the health service, say civil society members. 'The health system lacks the capacity to run effectively - many health workers are not skilled enough, for example, to request for drugs before they run out,' said Christa Cepuch, programmes director for Health Action International (HAI) Africa. She noted that according to a 2008 government survey, 42 per cent of people administering drugs in the public health system are untrained.