KEMSA reveal a new face of their medical facility

KEMSA Chief Executive Officer Terry Ramadhani. [Samson Wire, Standard]

The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has revealed the new face of its updated medical warehouse and storage facility. Chief Executive Officer, Terry Ramadhani, during a media tour, said the state-of-the-art facility would go a long way to support a sustained and reliable medical supply chain.

According to Ramadhani, the facility features additional amenities such as a cold room, where the organisation plans to store their perishable medication and lease to vaccine manufacturers.

"We need diversification of revenues, and the cold room provides an avenue for that. The Biovax plant is right opposite our facility, and they will store some of their vaccines here," says Ramadhani.

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.

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.

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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.