The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has dispatched medical supplies and equipment worth Sh 100 million to Nakuru County.
Nakuru is the latest in a series of flag-offs that KEMSA has been dispatching to County governments after Turkana received their batch in July before Trans Nzoia and West Pokot got their share earlier this month.
This move is in line with the authority’s commitment to support the delivery of quality healthcare to all Kenyans.
Edward Njoroge, Acting CEO KEMSA said the Nakuru County’s steady procurement and prompt payments running to more than Ksh500 million per annum have ensured that KEMSA was able to restock regularly to sustain steady supply for service delivery.
“We are grateful to Nakuru County for their continued trust on us to deliver quality health products and technologies,” said Njoroge. He explained that the supply will go to 193 public health facilities that serve more than two million residents.
Prior to this, he noted that the county ordered health products and technologies worth Sh 100 million in March this year besides the order made by the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital for medical supplies worth Sh 100 million every financial year.
KEMSA operates on a Not-for-profit self-sustaining business model and requires Counties to make timely payments so that it can constantly replenish stock to offer customers quality medical commodities at an affordable cost through using its advantage of economies of scale.
Njoroge explained, “Through this model we use our own capital to source for medical supplies. That is why Counties like Nakuru, Kilifi and Kwale among others have proved to be invaluable partners in our quest to ensure all Kenyans get access to quality health products and technologies.”
The CEO said that in order to ensure all Counties are served in time, KEMSA has been ensuring efficient order management through their Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) and the KEMSA e-mobile information technology solutions.
The Authority, he added, has optimized its distribution system to ensure doorstep delivery at all health facility levels nationally.
The Authority has also decentralized its distribution channel into four zones to enhance service delivery by reducing turnaround time.
Through the decentralized system, KEMSA’s Kisumu distribution zone serves nineteen counties. Mombasa serves six counties, and Meru serves 11 counties in the Northern frontier, with other counties served from the Nairobi Central stores.
By Wangari Ndirangu
