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Kenya Medical Supplies Authority boss downplays graft claims

Thursday, July 30th, 2020 00:00 | By
Health PS Susan Mochache and foreign affairs CAS Ababu Namwamba received COVID19 response commodities worth KSh 110M from Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng on behalf of government of the People's Republic of China, at the KEMSA Embakasi Warehouse. Photo/File

Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) board Chairman Kembi Gitura has downplayed allegations that the agency is involved in irregularities in its operations. 

Kembi claimed that most media reports on the matter are not factual and termed them as misleading.

“Most of the reports on expired drugs, over pricing of medical supplies and irregularities in procurement are not true because the people who give them don’t have the facts,” he said. 

“I will be willing to share all the details regarding this matter and give a detailed account on the role of Kemsa and its operations” he added. 

Speaking during a tour in Kiriaini Mission Hospital in Murang’a, Kembi, however, admitted that there could be several hitches in the institution and the board is working to rectify them. 

“There is not a single institution that is without problems and the only mistake we can make is to repeat what has been done before,” he said. 

Kembi said they have already identified some gaps in the institution and the board is working to seal them. 

Quality supplies

“I  would not want to pre-empt anything for now but we are in the process of restructuring this institution to enhance service delivery,” said Kembi. 

He continued: “We have a vision as a board to make this one of the best institutions in the country to facilitate quality health care to the public”. 

He said Kemsa, being at the core of the health sector, they will be working to ensure they deliver quality medical supplies and technologies to the health facilities in the country. 

Last month, a special audit conducted on Kemsa unearthed financial and procurement irregularities where close to Sh100 billion could not be accounted for.

Kemsa has also been accused to over pricing the medical supplies with over 77 percent while selling to them to the hospitals. 

Kembi also said the body has the capacity to get all the medical supplies required in the fight against Coronavirus in the country. 

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