The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority(KEMSA) has been put on the spot for sidelining local manufacturers when issuing contracts for supplying medical products in the Country despite scaled-up efforts to promote local capacity.
The sideling of local manufacturers by KEMSA has forced them to rely on health facilities that accept direct supply to penetrate the market.
This has limited the manufacturers from reaching major state-owned health facilities and other big hospitals that only contract KEMSA.
Therefore, the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry has pressured the medical supplies company to explain the issue to President William Ruto, who has been at the forefront in championing the enhancement of local manufacturing and local players.
Speaking in a presentation in Parliament, Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary(CS) Moses Kuria asked KEMSA to explain to the President.
"Invite the President William Ruto to attend a conference between KEMSA and local manufacturers for KEMSA to explain why they cannot buy from local manufacturers," Kuria said.
The local manufacturers include; Regal pharmaceuticals ltd, Sphinx pharmaceuticals ltd, Universal Corporation ltd, and Cosmos pharmaceuticals, among others that are rarely contracted to supply medical products.
Speaking last Friday during the just concluded Governor's Summit in Naivasaha, Health CS Susan WafulaCS noted the collaboration between the National government and the counties to leverage local manufacturing to reduce dependence on imports.
"The Kenya Kwanza government is committed to reducing dependence on imports, self-reliance and leveraging local manufacturing," she said.
Further, the CS highlighted the ongoing reforms at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA).
The reforms include the need to focus on health financing, improvements in warehousing and logistics, and National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) reforms.
KEMSA was established under the KEMSA Act 2013 under the Ministry of Health to distribute drugs and medical supplies and procure them.
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