Only 51 per cent of patients seeking treatment at Level Two and Three hospitals and dispensaries have access to essential medicines despite improvements in the supply of medical commodities, Principal Secretary for Medical Supplies Dr Ouma Oluga has said.
Oluga attributed the gap to challenges in the distribution of medicines, warning that some patients were being forced to seek drugs from private chemists, where they incur additional costs.
He also raised concerns over alleged collusion between pharmacists and private chemists operating near hospitals, claiming the practice was contributing to the diversion of medicines meant for public health facilities.
Speaking in Naivasha during the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) National and County Referral Hospitals Conference, Oluga said the agency’s medical supplies refill rate had risen to 92 per cent, but the improvement had not translated into adequate access for patients at lower-level facilities.
“Despite KEMSA medical refill rate hitting 92 per cent, only 51 percent of patients have access to essential medicines especially at level three, two and dispensaries,” said Oluga.
He said ongoing governance reforms at KEMSA were intended to address past corruption concerns and improve the delivery of medicines to health facilities.
Oluga added that a new legal framework now allows individual hospitals to engage KEMSA directly to facilitate timely procurement and delivery of medical supplies.
The government is also promoting local manufacturing of essential medical products to improve availability, reduce dependence on international supply chains and cushion the country against global disruptions that can affect prices and supplies.
According to Oluga, efforts to consolidate supply chain systems have already contributed to reductions of up to seven per cent in the cost of some medicines.
He said the measures were aimed at safeguarding patient care by improving the availability and affordability of essential drugs in public hospitals.
On his part, KEMSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Waqo Dulache said the authority was strengthening its supply chain systems and adopting modern technologies to improve the stocking of medicines in hospitals.
Dulache said the ongoing reforms were also focused on improving inventory management, strengthening the traceability of medical products and making supplies more predictable.
The reforms come amid continuing concerns about access to medicines in public health facilities, particularly at lower levels of the healthcare system, where shortages can force patients to purchase drugs privately.
The reported gap between KEMSA’s 92 per cent refill rate and the 51 per cent patient access rate highlights the challenge of ensuring that medicines supplied through the national system reach the patients who need them.
