CoG asks government to hasten KEMSA probe

Council of Governors chairperson Martin Wambora. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

The Council of Governors has raised concern over the ongoing restructuring at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

Governors have now asked authorities to investigate the plunder and misuse of resources at the medical authority and bring to book all found guilty.

“The Council calls upon the relevant institutions tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding public resources against misuse to investigate and bring to book all those who will be found culpable of mismanaging KEMSA,” CoG through its Chair Martin Wambora said.

In a circular dated November 9, Wambora also relayed that urgent reforms are needed at KEMSA “to ensure the institution effectively serves Counties in the procurement and supply of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products.”

Cog avers that procurement and distribution of health products needs to be restructured in a way that it aligns with devolution.

“Essentially, the Constitution assigned health functions to both the National Government and the County Governments. While delivery of most of the essential health services is assigned to County Governments, the role of the National Government in the delivery of health services is restricted to National referral health facilities,” Wambora noted.

Governors now want KEMSA to be established and structured as a joint entity of both the National and County governments, which will be answerable to both.

Last week, Kemsa ordered all its non-core staff to work from home for a period of 30 days.

KEMSA Chairperson Mary Mwadime said the action was taken following animosity at the largest medical supply entity, over graft-related issues.

But three days later, it emerged that members of the staff sent to work from home were locked out of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) has since taken over operations at Kemsa, a week after non-core staffers were asked to work from home.

At least 40 military officers reported at KEMSA headquarters at the weekend and joined a team that had reported earlier from the National Youth Service (NYS).