Health Policy Project

The Health Policy Project ended in 2016. Work continued under Health Policy Plus (HP+) until 2022.

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HPP Supports KEMSA to Disseminate Its Strategic Plan
participants at the KEMSA launch
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health James Macharia (left) with Barbara Hughes (Director, Office of Health, Population and Nutrition, USAID/Kenya and East Africa), Solomon Karanja (Chairman, KEMSA board), and KEMSA CEO Dr. John Munyu (right) at the launch of KEMSA’s new strategic plan in Nairobi. Photo by KEMSA.

June 2, 2015

NAIROBI, Kenya—The USAID-funded Health Policy Project (HPP) recently supported the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to develop its five-year strategic plan, launched in Nairobi at the end of May. The strategic plan lays out the agency’s new business approach that will enable it to meet the needs of Kenya’s devolved health system.

Under the new plan, KEMSA will supply medicines, medical supplies, and other commodities to counties using needs-based orders. This differs from the old ‘push’ system where commodities were automatically sent to facilities from the central level, not necessarily based on real needs. To support this change, the agency is making investments in information communication technologies, commodity management tools, and communications to improve its operational efficiencies. The new strategic plan also seeks to lessen KEMSA’s reliance on government funds, adopting a more commercial approach, which includes expanding its products base, reaching out to new clients, and venturing into new geographical territories.

At the launch meeting in Nairobi, the KEMSA Chief Operations Officer, Dr. John Munyu, reported that the new business model was already working well and that all 47 counties were procuring medical commodities from the agency. Dr. Munyu declared that “the business model is self-sustaining, removing the need for government support.”

The chief guest, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Mr. James Macharia congratulated KEMSA, emphasizing, “the agency has made significant strides in transforming itself into a strong and credible institution.”  Mr. Macharia underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening health systems and devolution by increasing public spending on commodities. He further reiterated the importance of KEMSA as an institution of national security, pledging the government’s commitment to protecting KEMSA and the country’s supply chain to ensure there is no interruption of health services.

Speaking at the event, the Director of the Office of Health, Population and Nutrition at USAID/Kenya and East Africa, Ms. Barbara Hughes, congratulated KEMSA for aligning its new strategic plan to the devolved system of governance. She said that, “the agency’s improved performance has ensured that the country has a consistent supply of commodities, leading to great improvements in service delivery.” She reiterated USAID’s commitment to strengthening health systems in Kenya through commodities security.

 
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The Health Policy Project is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-10-00067, beginning September 30, 2010. The project's HIV-related activities are supported by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). It is implemented by Futures Group, in collaboration with Plan International USA, Avenir Health (previously Futures Institute), Partners in Population and Development, Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), Population Reference Bureau (PRB), RTI International, and White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA). The information provided on this Web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.

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