Kemsa lacks the capacity to deliver enough drugs to all public health facilities, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has said.
Kemsa is the state medical agency tasked to supply medicine to all government hospitals. But Sang said the agency does not have all the drugs needed in hospitals, yet counties have been barred from buying medicine elsewhere.
Sang said the agency has the capacity to supply only 70 per cent of the drugs ordered and since Parliament ended counties' independence to procure the remaining 30 per cent elsewhere, patients have been left on their own.
“Counties used to get supplies for the remaining 30 per cent from MEDS, however since Parliament passed a bill forcing us to procure all our supplies from Kemsa, we are in a dilemma,” he said.
Sang said apart from Kemsa's failure to meet the orders, it takes two to three months to deliver supplies, despite there being no outstanding debts.
He spoke at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital when he received drugs worth Sh14 million for two hospitals in his county.
Kapsabet and Nandi Hills hospitals will each receive drugs and equipment worth Sh7 million to cover the next three months.
“Kemsa must stock all the drugs and ensure they avail the orders within a week or two instead of taking over two months to lessen patients suffering,” Sang said.
More than 130 health facilities in Nandi county will have to contend with the current shortages much longer to receive their supplies from Kemsa.
