At least six county governments denied the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) nearly Sh1 billion by illegally purchasing drugs and other essential medical supplies from private firms.
The Health Laws (Amendment) Act,2019, grants Kemsa absolute monopoly in the supply of drugs to the public, making it mandatory for both national and county health facilities to obtain drugs and medical supplies from it.
An Auditor-General’s report for the 2022/2023 financial year has revealed that some six counties have opened up the lucrative drugs procurement space to private players.
Senators have been pushing to have counties allowed to procure drugs and other medical supplies from private entities,a proposal that has been vehemently opposed by the Ministry of Health.
During the 2022/2023 financial year Nakuru County for instance irregularly procured drugs and pharmaceuticals worth Sh525,102,285 from private entities against a total expenditure of Sh592,948,083 (89 per cent) contrary to Section 4 of the Kemsa Act, 2013.
In the neighbouring Baringo County,Governor Benjamin Cheboi’s administration purchased drugs and non-pharmaceuticals valued at Sh86,655,514 from private suppliers despite not having a non-supplies notification from Kemsa. Some Sh81,651,708 was used to procure pharmaceuticals from Kemsa without an established framework.
Other counties that had irregularities in the purchases were Mandera, Lamu, Nyamira and Tana River.
