The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) has replied to audit reports on the health of county hospitals across the nation.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the authority denied the report’s accusations that the quality of pharmaceuticals supplied by Kemsa is uncertain, with incidents of expired or substandard drugs being delivered.
The County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee’s report on audit results for 2021-22 raised concerns about the quality of medical supplies delivered by Kemsa, as well as issues with stockouts at county hospitals.
In the statement, Kemsa replied to the charges by defending its activities while also highlighting systemic issues.
“KEMSA has an ISO17025:2017-certified Quality Control Laboratory and rigorous testing protocols that guarantee the safety and efficacy of all HPTs before distribution,” the statement read.
The CEO, Waqo Ejersa, stated that the authority works with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board as well as World Health Organization-prequalified laboratories such as MEDs, KEBs, and the National Quality Control Laboratory to ensure that requirements are met.
On the subject of quality, Kemsa referred to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board Recall Guidelines, which provide a methodical process for dealing with any deficiencies.
Furthermore, the authority’s Stock Holding Policy requires that only medical commodities with a minimum shelf life of 75% be permitted into its warehouses.
In response to reports of stock-outs and poor forecasting, Kemsa ascribed the problem to budgetary restrictions caused by delayed payments from county governments.
The outstanding debt owed by counties to Kemsa is presently Sh3 billion.
This financial burden jeopardizes the authority’s revolving fund concept, which depends on timely payments to replenish supplies.
“Ordering patterns and poor budgeting by counties further distort our forecasting data, making it difficult to align supply with demand,” Ejersa noted.
He stated that the authority uses historical demand data from county health facilities in its forecasting and procurement operations.
Kemsa stated that addressing these financial and systemic concerns would eliminate stockouts and improve service performance.
The authority urged counties to establish regular payment schedules and allocate sufficient health expenditures to meet their procurement demands.
