• Wambora said the demands of the 47 County Governments for medical supplies and equipment are higher than those of the National Government.
• Last week, the National Youth Service took over the operations at Kemsa, which saw a 30-days remote working order issued to the staff.
The Council of Governors has welcomed the move from the government to reform the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), saying urgent structural and institutional reforms are needed.
In a statement on Tuesday, CoG chairperson Martin Wambora said that the changes must be made to ensure the institution effectively serves counties in the procurement and supply of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products.
Governor Wambora said the centralised procurement and distribution system for health products and technologies ought to be restructured in a manner that fully is aligned to devolution and accords joint accountability to both National and County Governments.
NYS TAKEOVER
Last week, the National Youth Service took over the operations at Kemsa, which saw a 30-days remote working order issued to the staff.
The agency’s board sent home all staff as part of ongoing reforms after recommendations by the Kemsa Immediate Action Plan and Medium-Term Reforms Working Committee.
He said the demands of the 47 County Governments for medical supplies and equipment are higher than those of the National Government.
“In view of the heavy usage of Kemsa by the 47 County Governors the institution should be conceptualised, established, and structured as a Joint Entity of both National and County Governments which has to be answerable and accountable to both levels of Government,” Wambora said.
He added that the council will engage the National Government so that the County Governments can engage Alternative Health Providers to ensure uninterrupted supply of quality health commodities to the Counties’ Health facilities.
Wambora has further asked the relevant institutions tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding public resources against plunder and misuse to investigate and bring to book all those who will be found culpable of mismanaging Kemsa.
Edited by D Tarus