The new framework allows individual hospitals to source medical supplies directly from KEMSA.
Medical Supplies PS Ouma Oluga says the new framework cuts delivery delays, while reforms have lowered some drug costs by up to 7 per cent.
A new legal framework allows direct KEMSA procurement by individual hospitals, giving facilities greater flexibility in sourcing medicines and equipment. Medical Supplies Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga said the changes had improved delivery times and reduced procurement delays.
Speaking at the KEMSA National and County Referral Hospitals Conference in Naivasha, Oluga outlined the benefits for patient care. He said the arrangement could particularly help hospitals facing shortages of essential medicines, diagnostic equipment and other medical commodities.
How direct KEMSA procurement changes supply
Previously, county governments served as the main recipients of supplies from the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency. However, that distribution model faced allegations of mismanagement, alongside large debts and logistical delays.
The new framework lets individual hospitals engage the agency directly rather than rely on the previous county-led arrangement. Oluga said this flexibility had helped facilities secure essential supplies more promptly.
He also said the changes should strengthen medicine availability, particularly in level three and four hospitals. These facilities have previously experienced shortages of vital drugs and equipment needed to support treatment.
Drug access remains a concern
Despite improvements in supply, Oluga highlighted a gap between KEMSA’s refill rate and patients’ access to medicines. He said the agency’s medical supplies refill rate had reached 92 per cent.
However, only 51 per cent of patients at level four hospitals and below had access to drugs, he said. He urged KEMSA to address low supplies of essential medicines at lower-level facilities.
Oluga also alleged collusion between pharmacists and chemists operating near hospitals to divert medicines. Such businesses target patients who cannot obtain prescribed drugs at public health facilities, he said.
Governance reforms and local production
Meanwhile, Oluga said governance reforms at KEMSA aimed to address past corruption incidents and improve deliveries to hospitals. He added that reforms had reduced some drug costs by up to 7 per cent as the agency consolidated supply chain systems.
The government is also promoting local manufacturing of essential medical products, Oluga said. He said the effort aimed to improve stocks, reduce exposure to global shocks and lower medicine costs.
