President William Ruto has directed the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to ensure that public health facilities have adequate and consistent supplies of medicines.
Ruto said the new system of delivering medicines and other health commodities directly to hospitals, rather than through county stores, will guarantee uninterrupted provision of health services under the Universal Health Coverage programme.
Speaking at Loglogo Africa Inland Church (AIC) in Laisamis Constituency, Marsabit County, he told the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) CEO Waqo Ejersa, who was present, to ensure all health facilities were equipped with drugs round the clock.
“The problem was that drugs would come to a county store and overstay there before being delivered to facilities, leaving patients stranded,” Ruto said.
“We have now created a channel where health commodities go directly to facilities so that there is no gap in between,” he said.
The President added that he had issued a directive to KEMSA to ensure that by the end of this year, the refill rate for drugs should be at 95 per cent.
“I do not want to hear stories that there are no medicines in hospitals,” stated the President.
The President also took the opportunity to call on citizens in the county to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), saying, "I want to encourage Kenyans to register for SHA to receive free outpatient services at dispensaries, health centres and sub-county hospitals in public, private and faith-based hospitals."
On the country's infrastructure, President Ruto said his push for Parliament to establish a National Infrastructure Fund is aimed at addressing the growing infrastructure needs, including roads.
To build at least 10,000 km of new tarmac roads across the country, President Ruto said about Sh1.5 trillion was needed.
He pointed out that traditional budgetary funding for road projects alone was no longer adequate.
"I am going to address Parliament next week over various development initiatives," he announced.
He told Marsabit residents that the county has been allocated KSh4.5 billion to build affordable housing, fresh produce markets and student hostels for public colleges.
Additionally, the President said Sh1.6 billion has been set aside to connect more households to electricity.
On requests by local leaders for the establishment of more administrative units, he directed Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who was present, to look into the matter.
"We will look into your requests to create more administrative units, including sub-counties. The minister is here. You can send your proposal over the matter," he told the leaders.
