‘Public-private partnerships good for devolved health care’

By standard reporter

Kenya: County governments have been urged to embrace public-private-partnerships in the devolution of healthcare services.

Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) Managing Director Paschal Manyuru said the governments needed the support of non-state actors to successfully devolve quality healthcare services.

“Successful devolution of quality, reliable and affordable healthcare services will be achieved more effectively through public private partnerships,” said Mr Manyuru.

He said each county should identify its health problems and tackle them by taking advantage of organisations with already established and tested systems including those outside the government system.

Speaking during the official opening of a workshop on Health Commodity Management and Leadership for County Pharmacists, he noted that over 40 per cent of Kenyans access healthcare through non-government actors, with faith-based organisations forming the bulk of this segment.

This, he added, gives them a bigger role in the devolution process.

Medical supply chains

Manyuru said counties need efficient, effective and responsive medical supply chains to support the attainment of health goals based on best practices. The two-day workshop held at the MEDS Centre in Nairobi is part of the public-private-partnership initiative between MEDS and the County governments aimed at addressing existing challenges in devolving healthcare. MEDS is enhancing the capacity of county pharmacists to manage medical supplies in the devolved healthcare system.

“This training will go a long way in improving healthcare service delivery in the counties. There is need to continuously equip us so that we can produce best results in this dynamic sector,” Kisii County Pharmacist, Dr Robert Kimutai, said.