A renewed push to fix persistent medicine shortages in public health facilities has taken centre stage after President William Ruto unveiled a fresh turnaround plan for the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority, signalling a stricter and more structured approach to drug supply management in the country.
During his address on Thursday, Ruto outlined measures aimed at rebuilding confidence in the national medical supply system, which has been marred by long-running procurement scandals, inefficiencies and delayed deliveries.
He explained that the government is moving with speed to strengthen KEMSA so hospitals do not continue struggling with stockouts that inconvenience patients and undermine health services.
At the heart of the plan is a commitment to increase medicine availability levels while enhancing transparency and accountability in the agency’s operations.
Ruto said the government intends to put in place modern systems and a more reliable distribution model that supports steady access to essential supplies in all public hospitals.
“We are undertaking a bold transformation of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to make it more efficient, sustainable and effective, raising its current drug availability rate from 48 per cent to 68 per cent,” Ruto said.
The authority has been under public scrutiny for years as many health facilities across the country continue to face shortages of basic drugs, forcing patients to buy medication privately despite seeking care in public hospitals.
President William Ruto when. he launched the tarmacking of the 34-kilometre Turbo–Sikhendu Road in Kakamega on October 31, 2025.PHOTO/PCSThe leadership at KEMSA has come under pressure to overhaul processes and rebuild trust after numerous complaints from health workers and communities.
Ruto stressed that the ongoing reforms are not short-term actions but a structured effort to restore full functionality at the agency. He said the goal is to ensure that health centres, regardless of location, maintain regular supply levels so that no patient goes without treatment due to lack of medicine.
“Our ultimate goal is to achieve a 100 per cent refill rate by the end of the year, ensuring consistent access to essential medicines and other commodities and thus improve health outcomes for all citizens,” he said.
Alongside the KEMSA restructuring, Ruto also confirmed a Sh150 million boost to support the upgrading and equipping of one of the key public hospitals. He said this additional investment is meant to strengthen service delivery and create a patient-friendly environment across public healthcare facilities.
“We are further investing Sh150 million to equip and upgrade the hospital, guaranteeing modern facilities, quality care, and greater dignity in healthcare delivery,” Ruto said.
The reforms reflect an effort by the government to secure a stable medical supply chain, especially for communities that rely entirely on public health facilities.
For many Kenyans, consistent medicine supply remains a critical part of improving healthcare and reducing the financial burden placed on families who often turn to private pharmacies due to recurring stockouts.
