President William Ruto has unveiled new efforts to address the chronic shortage of essential medicines in public health facilities by boosting the capacity of the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa). Speaking at State House during the handover of disease surveillance vehicles to counties, Ruto announced a Sh10 billion government facility aimed at increasing Kemsa’s refill rate from 50% to 100%, ensuring consistent supply of medical commodities.
He emphasized that counties must commit to paying for supplies provided by Kemsa, especially as the government settles their Social Health Authority (SHA) claims. Ruto stressed that the integration of SHA, Kemsa, and county governments will ensure essential medicines are available nationwide.
He also reassured former National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) staff of job security during the transition to SHA, noting that priority was given to NHIF employees in new hiring, and others will be absorbed into public service roles. Additionally, Ruto highlighted the government’s plan to digitize healthcare services within six months to enhance efficiency and curb fraud, with pilot programs already running in six counties.
