NAIROBI, Kenya- The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) made a significant move on Monday by flagging off a massive distribution of medical supplies to counties, bolstering the rollout of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The shipment, which includes essential medicines and maternal health products, is set to enhance healthcare delivery across the country as part of the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa led the launch, emphasizing the critical role these supplies will play in improving community health outcomes.
The supplies aim to tackle both infectious diseases and the rising tide of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The flagged-off medical products are part of a broader strategy to combat diseases that continue to plague Kenyan communities, including malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.
Health CS Barasa emphasized how these supplies will support treatment and prevention efforts in regions hardest hit by these conditions.
“The distributed medical supplies will support the treatment and prevention of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS, which continue to affect our communities,” Barasa noted.
In addition to infectious diseases, the supplies will also be crucial for managing NCDs, which are becoming an increasing concern.
Conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer have been on the rise in Kenya, and Barasa pointed out that the medical products will help communities manage these conditions more effectively at the grassroots level.
KEMSA’s Chairperson, Samuel Tunai, acknowledged the authority’s vital role in ensuring a smooth transition to the SHIF system.
The distribution of these health products marks just one step in KEMSA’s larger mission to improve supply chain efficiency and bolster partnerships with both national and county governments.
“We aim to make health facilities more responsive to local health needs by ensuring that medical commodities are delivered on time and in sufficient quantities,” said Tunai.
To achieve this, KEMSA is prioritizing reforms, including restructuring operations, improving accountability, and enhancing procurement processes. Tunai stressed that making the supply chain more reliable will be key to delivering quality healthcare to the counties
Despite these efforts, KEMSA is grappling with financial difficulties, largely due to unpaid debts from counties. The ongoing lack of funds has hampered the agency’s ability to maintain its operations at full capacity.
Tunai called for the establishment of a central fund for UHC, which would allow counties to draw necessary funds to cover health product costs.
“In the long term, we aim to recapitalize KEMSA to strengthen its financial foundation. This will involve seeking additional funds from development partners and exploring partnerships that will ensure sustainability,” Tunai added.
