Ramadhani said the facility is designed with safety and energy-saving fittings, including pharmaceutical grade paint, epoxy floors to prevent slip accidents, composite roofing to save air conditioning bills and energy-saving lighting. In addition, the warehouse is spacious and has sensors for firefighting. "We refurbished it for a more conducive environment. Safety is a priority," says Ramadhani.
The CEO said the project was funded by the global fund in conjunction with the government of Kenya. "I am confident in our capacity to provide medical supplies to all counties in Kenya. Our order field rate or capacity to supply rose from 18 per cent before 2020 to 70 per cent in January this year," she says.
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Ramadhani said the capacity has declined to 55 to 60 per cent in March this year, mainly due to counties slacking off in remittance payments for previous orders, which affects KEMSA's ability to purchase consistent supplies.
"We mobilise counties to come back fully and are optimistic that with the diversification of revenues, we will be able to consistently procure from our suppliers and provide all orders in time," says Ramadhani.
Ramadhani says that it took KEMSA 49 days to deliver medical supplies to clients in the past, but the turnaround time is now less than seven days to get orders to their destination.
"The institution was on its knees, but the counties now appreciate that we are not where we were two years ago. We hope they partner with us to realise the mission of KEMSA," she says.
-Photos by Samson Wire.