Daniel Makau

By the end of 2007, Daniel Makau, a water vendor and shopkeeper aged 44 years, had lived in Kibera for 26 years. He earned a modest income running a kiosk business. This, together with some irregular earnings from his shamba upcountry, and contribution from his wife’s earnings formed the total household income to support a family of more than four children. As a longstanding resident of Kibera, Daniel has taken part in many local initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Kibera residents and had many stories to tell about availability and affordability of medicines in the area.

In Kibera, people die in their houses because they don’t have money to visit a doctor, or to buy medicine. More times than I can count, we have found some people dead in their homes because they fell ill and couldn’t raise enough money to buy medicines that would have perhaps saved them.

Kibera has so many stories… there are fake medicines here too. There are times when I have sent for medicine and I have been brought medicines that have no effect.

Generally, medicines are expensive in private chemists, but there are NGOs that have set chemist shops that sell medicines at lower prices. However, the problem is that some of these chemists are run by people who are not qualified. So, although some NGOs have been useful in making drugs affordable in this area, it is important that they are vetted to establish which ones are genuine and to ensure that they are supplying quality medicine.

The environment here is quite pathetic. The drainage system is poor, many households don’t have running water, and there are masses of uncollected garbage. This is not conducive at all. If the drainage system was improved, running water supplied and the garbage collected, and the environment we live was made cleaner, I believe the cases of illnesses would reduce, thereby reducing the need for medicines.

We need help. Whoever is willing to help us is welcome to come. I only hope that it is not one of those briefcase organizations that are only interested in benefiting themselves and not the community.

Submitted by HAI Africa from the publication: “The costly access to essential medicines in Kenya: Voices of consumers on affordability and availability” published March 2009.