A survey done by Kenya Treatment Access Movement (Ketam), a non-governmental organisation tracking access to primary health care, revealed basic drugs missing in many hospitals, especially in rural areas.

"We have moved round several hospitals and the situation is worrying. There are no drugs. Patients are being turned away at Government pharmacies," says Ketam Country Co-ordinator James Kamau.

In Nyanza Province, the drug shortage has jeopardised treatment of common diseases such as pneumonia, malaria, diarrhoea, and other surgical illness that require anti-biotics.

Checks by The Standard on Sunday in several health facilities across Nyanza showed drugs such as anti-rabies, morphine, anti-retrovirals, multi- vitamins, painkillers, anti-malarial and paediatric drugs were missing in stores as well as non-pharmaceuticals such as syringes and cotton wool.

At the Kisumu District Hospital, multi-vitamins, septrin syrup, and anti-biotics are out of stock.

But the problem is not unique to Kisumu. From Karungu health centre, Macalder, Migori, Uriri, Rongo, Mbita, Homa Bay, Rachuonyo, Oyugis, Nyakach, Siaya, Nyando, Bondo, the situation is the same.

Residents like Kaleb Onyango blame the Government for gambling with lives.

"The shortage undermines the hyped Government free health care," he says.

Ministry of Medical Services senior officials who spoke to The Standard on Sunday, said availability of essential medicine in public health facilities stands at 60 per cent.

A letter to the permanent secretaries in the ministries of Medical Services and Public Health and Sanitation, by a consortium of health organisations, seeks to discuss the shortage of essential medicines in public health facilities.

"In the event of a serious disease outbreak such as cholera or dysentery many people will die, unless the Government urgently addresses the shortage," he says.

It has also emerged that the Nyanza General Provincial Hospital does not have a viral load machine, despite the province having the highest number of HIV/Aids patients Absence of the machine means patients must wait for their specimens to be transported to Nairobi for tests.

Nyanza Provincial Medical Officer of Health Ojwang’ Lusi says severity of the crisis has forced the institution to eat into other budgets.

"We are now borrowing heavily from revenue generated from patients to buy drugs and it is still not enough," he said.

In Central province the drugs shortage has seen more patients turn to faith based health institutions

According to a senior official at the Provincial Health office, the region has been facing an acute shortage of diabetes and family planning drugs as well as anti-biotics.

"The situation is bad but the Government has assured us it will be rectified," he added. The official who declined to be named said Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) had only supplied 60 per cent of the region’s needs.

Common diseases include malaria, respiratory track infections, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, skin infections and HIV/Aids related ailments.

The province has a well laid out distribution of health facilities with the original seven districts each having a public hospital.