City hospitals to get Sh244 million worth of medical products

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja flags off a consignment of drugs to various health facilities in Nairobi on Tuesday, February, 14, 2023. [Samson Wire,Standard]

Public hospitals in Nairobi will now get the supply of medical products after the County settled pending arrears to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

This was revealed during the flag off of the products worth Sh244 million to the hospitals within the city led by Governor Johnson Sakaja.

"Unlike before, public hospitals will receive 70 per cent of essential commodities which have been missing for a very long time," Governor Sakaja said.

"This is part of implementing recommendations made by the task force that recently handed back the report, to ensure that health facilities are stocked," he added.

This was actualized by negotiations and settlement of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) debt of Sh185 million paid in full recently by the County.

The supply comprises 70 percent of the essential commodities (commodities commonly used), 20 percent of vital commodities - for emergencies and 10 percent of small equipment and linen.

The hospitals that were listed as the first priority to receive the products Mama Lucy Kibaki hospital, Pumwani and Mbagathi, Mutuini followed by sub-county hospitals.

Sakaja said the task-force had noted that the public hospitals were unable to claim any funds from those using NHIF cards.

For this reason, he said among them supplies are 233 special 233 computers that are able to scan the finger prints and help the hospital make the claims.

At the same time, he urged the County Assembly led by the Health Committee chairman to pass Facility Improvement Funds (FIF).

This he said will allow the public hospitals to use the money collected from services they offer to improve them and become independent in some areas.