Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) has received a boost after being allocated Sh2 billion by the National Assembly in the Supplementary Budget.

The move, is set to increase the authority’s Order Fill Rate from the current 60 to more than 80 per cent.
Fill Rate is the agency’s ability to meet demand from counties and public health institutions managed by the national government.

The additional allocation is in fulfillment of President William Ruto pledge to strengthen Kemsa and enable it to effectively provide essential medical supplies.

Board Chair Irungu Nyakera (pictured) said the capital injection will help realise the Kenya Kwanza promise to successfully roll out Universal Health Coverage (UHC) countrywide.

Speaking during a one-day engagement forum themed Fostering Collaborative and Strategic Partnerships, Nyakera told County Executives Committee members and county chief officers from all 47 devolved governments that the funds will strictly be earmarked for procurement of health products and technologies to meet demand.

“This money is not going for any construction or development, it will be used specifically to pay our suppliers so that we ensure our order fill rate gets to where it is supposed to be,” he said.

During the annual event hosted by Kemsa and attended by over 200 delegates from across the counties, participants raised concern over availability of adequate stocks to avail healthcare to mwananchi.