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The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) flagged off health products and technologies worth KES 100 million to Nakuru County.
Nakuru is the latest in a series of flag-offs that KEMSA has been dispatching to County governments starting with Turkana in July, Trans Nzoia and West Pokot earlier on this month. This is in line with the authority’s commitment to supporting the delivery of quality healthcare to all Kenyans.
“We are grateful to Nakuru County for their continued trust for us to deliver quality health products and technologies. The county’s steady procurement and prompt payments valued at KES 500 million per annum have ensured that KEMSA is able to restock regularly thereby benefiting all Kenyans including Nakuru residents,” said Edward Njoroge, Acting CEO KEMSA.
The supplies will go to 193 public health facilities in order to serve 2 million Nakuru residents. Prior to this, the county ordered health products and technologies worth KES 100 million in March this year. This is besides the order made by the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital for medical supplies worth KES 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.
Mr. 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.”
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 has optimized its distribution system to ensure doorstep delivery at all health facility levels nationally. The Authority has 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.