Confusion has emerged over a plan by the Nairobi County Government to partner with private healthcare providers to establish pharmacies in the health facilities run by the county government.

The move comes after Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja’s cabinet last week resolved to partner with the private healthcare providers to establish the pharmacies in all the Level 4 and Level 5 healthcare facilities in an effort to fill the gap for the shortage of drugs in facilities run by the county government.

However, MCAs led by Health Committee Chairperson Maurice Ochieng’ are already reading malice in the project and are now faulting the county executive for failing to come up with the relevant legislation to guide the process.

 MCAs say the county had not submitted any legislation and regulations to guide the process insisting that unscrupulous medics and businessmen will take advantage and exploit members of the public who visit these facilities.

“This directive is not clear at all. We suspect something fishy and that’s why we are up in arms against it. How can such a move be implemented when we don’t have clear legislation guiding it,” posed Ochieng.

Public participation

The ward representative also faulted the ‘rushed’ manner in which the process was carried out without a public participation exercise as required by law.

“We need to see the policies, regulations and the framework from the relevant chief officer. This is something that needs a public participation exercise where people are taken through the whole process. You cannot just wake up and bring private pharmacies in the county government healthcare facilities without consultation,” Ochieng said.

The county government had dubbed the new establishments as “revolving fund model pharmacies” where they will “reinvest profits back into the system” to maintain and expand drug stocks for patients visiting the health facilities.

“Despite receiving the lion’s share of the health sector budget, these facilities have faced chronic shortages and stock-outs of essential medications, affecting service delivery.

The revolving fund model pharmacies are designed to address these critical gaps by ensuring a consistent supply of medications. This model not only aims to stabilize drug supply but also to make healthcare more affordable and efficient for Nairobi’s diverse population,” read a cabinet dispatch from the county government.

Frequent supply

The pharmacies will be running under a public-private partnership where the private companies operating the pharmacies will be in charge of operations and ensure frequent supply of goods and services.

“The pharmacies will operate in strict compliance with national and county health regulations to ensure that all medications distributed are safe, effective, and appropriately priced. Regular audits and reviews will be conducted to maintain high standards of accountability and transparency,” the county government said.

It was not immediately clear whether the county government will be parting ways with the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) that has been supplying drugs to he county governments.

Nairobi county owes the second highest at Sh243 million after Kilifi that owes Sh276 million.

In May, the Senate Health Committee directed Kemsa not to supply drugs to counties due to a Sh3 billion debt.