The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has dispatched medical supplies valued at Sh380 million to several counties across the country.
Counties benefiting from the supplies include Kilifi, Marsabit, Samburu, Baringo, Garissa and Tana River among others, will receive their medical supplies before Easter holidays.
Speaking at the flagging-off ceremony at the Authority’s offices, KEMSA Acting Chief Executive Officer, John Kabuchi said the drought-hit counties in the Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) will be serviced on a priority basis to provide a suitable cushion for primary health management.
“The supplies comprise essential medicines ordered by the respective counties as per the Kenya Essential Medicines List,” he announced.
Kabuchi said the list developed by the Ministry of Health recognised the disease burdens in each of the counties, thereby allowing tailor-made ordering of Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies (EMMS) from KEMSA.
“The counties will also receive orders catering for specific national strategic priority programmes that facilitate public health initiatives including nutrition, malaria, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, lung diseases and immunisation,” stated Kabuchi.
He said ASAL counties will receive nutritional supplements and rehydration solutions alongside essential medicines.
The CEO noted that KEMSA Board of Directors and Management has stepped up stakeholder engagement efforts geared towards unlocking the settlement of outstanding dues from several counties valued at more than Sh2.7 billion in order to boost the national scale of the Universal Health Coverage agenda.
“Increased collections from the counties will allow KEMSA to fast track pending payments to its suppliers among them local manufacturers,” he stated.
The CEO commended the counties of Kilifi, Nakuru, Laikipia, Nyeri, Meru, West Pokot, Turkana, Kisii and Makueni counties which have no pending bills with the Authority.
The CEO said KEMSA reduced the order turnaround Time from 46 days in February 2021 to 16 days at the end of February 2022, using Information technology system of which they were also able to automate several functions.
“By the end of the first quarter, we successfully managed to record a milestone with the dispatch of Program and EMMS supplies amounting to more than Sh9.73 billion. The dispatch of more than 32,000 orders was to more than 7,600 health facilities in all 47 counties,” Kabuchi said.
He added, “All the deliveries made to our esteemed County clients are now backed by internal delivery assurance notes generated through the award-winning KEMSA Electronic Proof of Deliveries or e-POD App”.
The KEMSA e-POD app keeps track of KEMSA last-mile supplies to the respective health facilities.
As part of its transformation journey, which includes integrating information technology systems, KEMSA has unveiled an electronic Local Purchase Order generation process as part of the Authority’s ethics and integrity assurance strategy.
The on-going reforms at KEMSA has seen the Authority reduce its Order Fill Rate from 46 days in February 2021 to 16 days at the end of February 2022.
Last month, KEMSA dispatched essential medicines and medical supplies and national strategic priority health programmes supplies valued at more than Sh9.73billion to all counties.
By Bernadette Khaduli
