The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) must continue adapting it’s procurement of drugs in tandem with changing disease patterns, KEMSA CEO Andrew Mulwa has said.
Dr. Mulwa noted that some diseases that were once prevalent across the country were now nil or restricted to some parts of the country and weather patterns.
This he said, will curb losses occasioned by expiring of drugs or equipment rendered obsolete in KEMSA’s warehouses.
Speaking to News Editors at Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa, KEMSA Mulwa said the Authority is operating at a loss to the tune of Ksh 3 billion as a result of commodities procured during the COVID-19 Pandemic period that are no longer in use.
This he says has necessitated the Authority to seek capitalisation to a tune of Ksh 2 billion from the government to remain afloat and revamp it’s operations.
He lamented the huge pending bills at counties that affects their operations noting that: “Kisumu County has a debt of Ksh. 35 million that is more than 1000 days old.” Dr. Mulwa however assured Kenyans of KEMSA’s edge in quality and affordability saying: “You will never have any quality issue with KEMSA products. I can guarantee this 100pc.”
He noted that the government is seeking a unified approach in acquiring health and pharmaceutical technologies to avail them cheaply. “If we have data of patients seeking treatment for a particular disease at both public and private health facilities, we can approach the manufacturer of the recommended drug in India or wherever and buy the drug in bulk at much cheaper,” he quipped.
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