KEMSA Resumes Drug Supply After Receiving 1.2 Billion Shillings

The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) is back to the business of supplying drugs to medical facilities after receiving some of the money various counties owed them.

KEMSA’s CEO Johan Manjari said on Tuesday, 29th October that they received money amounting to 1.2 billion shillings by the end of September, which will enable them continue the drug supply and handle the shortage problem experienced in most county medical facilities.

Mr. Manjari commended the counties that heeded to KEMSA’s call to pay their dues and urged counties that are yet to settle their debts to do so to allow them to operate smoothly.

KEMSA further advised that since they are operating on revolving fund, counties should only place their orders through Kemsa’s Logistics Management Information System (LMIS).

KEMSA began their drug supply in hospitals in Nairobi County, which placed a 66 million shillings order, despite them (Nairobi County) being the greatest debtors.

By August 2019, KEMSA had said that over 2.2 billion shillings was owed to them by several counties, with Nairobi leading at a 284 million shilling debt.

While Turkana and Machakos being the only counties that do not owe KEMSA, Isiolo, Kilifi, Kitui and Narok counties still owe KEMSA huge amounts of money.

KEMSA however supplied drugs to the county to facilitate the restocking of key city medical facilities such as Mama Lucy hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, Pumwani Maternity and Mutuini hospital, after its agreement with the county on how the debt will be paid.

“Nairobi residents are encouraged to visit public facilities in the county as by now, 80 percent of facilities are stocked with drugs, thanks to the county’s agreement of commitment to clear the debt,” said Nairobi County’s acting health executive Veska Kagongo.

Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko warned medical administrators against swindling county drugs to their private businesses, urging Kenyans to report any such cases.