SENATOR MUTINDA SEEKS EXPLANATION ON SHORTAGE OF DEXAMETHASONE AND SURFACTANT DRUGS

Senate Chamber
Tuesday, 2nd November 2025

Senator Tabitha Mutinda (nominated) has raised alarm over a growing shortage of dexamethasone and surfactant drugs in public health facilities across the country.
While seeking a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Health, the senator termed the situation a national concern, noting that the shortage is putting pregnant women and newborns at heightened risk.
Senator Mutinda emphasized that dexamethasone is critical in managing imminent preterm birth, accelerating fetal lung maturity and significantly improving neonatal survival rates. Surfactant, on the other hand, is administered to preterm infants shortly after delivery to support lung function and prevent fatal complications.
“The absence of these drugs in our public hospitals exposes vulnerable mothers and infants to preventable dangers. We must urgently establish why the supply chain has collapsed and what corrective measures are being taken,” she stated.
Senator Mutinda reiterated that safeguarding maternal health remains a constitutional obligation and urged the Senate to prioritize accountability within the national medical supply system.