NAIROBI, Kenya, July 31- The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) says it is ready to support COVID-19 management through Personal Protective Equipment Supplies countrywide at a time the country has recorded increased infections.
Acting CEO Edward Njoroge said the authority is banking on information technology systems to ensure speedy order fulfilment to more than 8,000 health facilities countrywide.
Njoroge said the Rapid Response team is ensuring efficient order management through their Logistics Management Information System and the KEMSA e-mobile information technology solutions.
“At KEMSA, we can confirm that we have a rapid response team to ensure that all orders placed with us by our clients from all the 47 counties are speedily processed and delivered. Our COVID-19 Rapid Response team is ensuring efficient order management through our Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) and the KEMSA e-mobile information technology solutions,” Njoroge said.
He further pointed out that the authority has decentralized its distribution channel into four zones to enhance service delivery by reducing turnaround time.
Through the decentralized system, KEMSA’s Kisumu distribution zone serves nineteen counties, Mombasa serves six counties, and Meru serves 11 counties in the Northern frontier, with other counties served from the Nairobi central stores.
“All the distributions zones have been suitably equipped and resourced to ensure that they can guarantee similar service levels to that provided from our Nairobi central warehouses. To address the COVID-19 challenges, at KEMSA, the Board, Management, and Staffing force are committed to achieving excellence in procurement, warehousing, and distribution of quality, affordable Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) to the public health facilities,” Njoroge added.
By July 30, the country had recorded 201,954 infections with 3, 926 fatalities and 188,438 recoveries while positivity rate was at 13 per cent, a trend Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said risk increasing further unless serious measures are taken.
“Let us not drop the guard,” Kagwe warned during a press conference after chairing a National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) meeting, “we are all responsible in bringing the cases down.”
Effectively, he announced an extension of the night curfew that starts at 10pm to 4am countrywide until further notice, as well as a ban on all public gatherings.
“We will not allow any public gatherings to take place anywhere,” he said, “police will strictly enforce this order.”
The ban has been in place for several months but is often violated by top leaders who hold political rallies and roadside meetings in total disregard of the COVID-19 containment measures.
Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said he had directed all his Commanders to enforce the order to ensure no meetings are held. “If you fail to comply, we know what we will do to have you comply.”
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