Counties given green light to buy drugs from other suppliers
Dennis Lumiti
Counties have been given authority to purchase medicine and other non-pharmaceuticals from other suppliers.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said the court recently quashed the law that restricted counties to only buy essential commodities from Kenya Medical Supplies Authority.
He said the Council of Governors had gone to court seeking to overturn the law that gave Kemsa monopoly on supply of drugs and other medical equipment to counties.
“The case had taken too long, however, we are impressed that the law, which restricted devolved units to only acquire drugs from Kemsa has been overturned,” said Oparanya.
Speaking at Shamberere Technical Institute in Malava sub-county at the weekend, the county boss noted that CoG has welcomed the court ruling, saying it was a reprieve.
“Devolved units are now free to purchase drugs and non- pharmaceuticals from any other supplier.
This is a big win to counties that have been suffering in the hands of Kemsa that has no capacity to satisfy counties’ needs,” he said.
The Kakamega governor has since assured residents that the persistent shortage of drugs will now be a thing of the past, as the county has already set aside money to purchase essential medicines from other suppliers, which will be supplied to health facilities in two weeks time.
Oparanya also pointed out that already suppliers of essential medicines and other health commodities have been making requests to be awarded tenders for the same.
“Other pharmaceutical organisations are knocking on our doors,” he added.
Oparanya regretted that corruption in public hospitals has frustrated efforts to provide quality medical services.
He claimed that some managers of hospitals were diverting money disbursed for the purchase of drugs to paying casual workers they irregularly hired.
