NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has launched a nationwide stocktaking and digitisation exercise aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency across the public health supply chain.
The exercise, unveiled by KEMSA CEO Waqo Ejersa, is part of the government’s broader Digital Health Superhighway strategy and marks a major step towards fully digitising the country’s medical logistics infrastructure.
“It has come in very timely because now the government is going completely digital. Our ERP is ready for go-live,” Ejersa said at the official launch.
Real-Time Stock Management Under New ERP System
The agency will now upload physical stock data into its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which is integrated with the Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) and linked to national digital health platforms overseen by the Digital Health Authority (DHA).
Ejersa said the real-time digital tracking will eventually support a track-and-trace model, enabling every commodity to be monitored from KEMSA’s central warehouse to the facility where it is dispensed.
“This is especially key for knowing what KEMSA has supplied to each and every health facility,” he noted.
Shift to Dispensation-Based Payments
The digitization will also underpin a new reimbursement model where health facilities are paid only for the medical supplies dispensed, rather than bulk procurement.
“That can only be done effectively through accurate stocktaking, proper labelling, and robust digital systems,” Ejersa said.
Supporting Government Reforms & Accountability
The move comes as KEMSA continues wide-ranging reforms aimed at restoring public trust after past procurement scandals.
By transitioning to digital-first logistics, the authority seeks to reduce wastage, combat mismanagement, and improve real-time monitoring and auditing of health commodities.
Ejersa thanked staff, developers, and logistics personnel for helping build and deploy the system, noting their role in shaping a transparent and efficient health supply network.
Aligning with Kenya’s Digital Health Transformation
KEMSA joins a growing list of state agencies integrating into the government’s digital transformation agenda, aligning with platforms managed by the Ministry of Health, DHA, and other oversight institutions.
Officials say the data collected from the current stocktaking exercise will be instrumental in fine-tuning the rollout of the ERP and ensuring Kenya’s health system can deliver accountable, efficient, and people-centred care.
