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Private sector lobby to empower health essential manufacturers

Tuesday, March 31st, 2020 00:00 | By
Kepsa chief executive Carole Karuga.

Lewis Njoka @LewisNjoka

Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) has identified health, economy and food as the three focus areas in its plan to mitigate the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on the nation. 

At the same time Kepsa, the apex body for Kenya’s private sector, has rolled out a 24-hour call centre and a Covid-19 information portal aimed at enabling businesses receive information on business and health as well as strengthen supply chains during the pandemic. 

The Action Plan outlines measures to support new manufacturing businesses to fill emerging gaps in global supply chains, encourage domestic production of essential items that were previously imported and accelerate the adoption of innovative business models and technologies required during the crisis.

Under health, Kepsa plans to ensure that local businesses are manufacturing as many health essentials as needed to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

These include masks, sanitisers, disinfectants and medical products. In addition, members have formed initiatives to acquire ventilators to complement government efforts.

Stimulus package

“Under the economic category, Kepsa is engaging the government on various issues, including an economic stimulus package, to ensure minimal job losses, cushion SMEs and to produce the needed health essentials and financial packages to mitigate the threat Covid-19 poses to food production,” said Kepsa chief executive Carole Karuga in a statement.

According to Kepsa, several of its members are undertaking different initiatives to tackle unemployment risks.

These include flower farms giving away flowers to maintain farm jobs and Export Processing Zones selling clothes to local dealers as opposed to exporting.

Several Kepsa members have launched initiatives to feed their employees, while other members are rolling out innovative feeding programmes in the informal settlements in major urban centres across the country.

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