The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority and governors have clashed over timely delivery of medical supplies and payments.
Governors accused Kemsa of failing to deliver procured drugs and equipment on time and favouring private hospitals more than public ones.
The county chiefs said this would greatly affect the UHC programme, whose biometric registration was launched on Saturday by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, Kemsa acting CEO Edward Njoroge hit back at the governors, saying they are making the authority’s work difficult because they don’t pay up.
He said on Friday that governors owe the authority over Sh2.6 billion.
“This makes it difficult for us to operate because Kemsa operates on a revolving drug fund and counties are expected to make timely payments,” Njoroge said.
He said out of the 47 counties, only five counties have zero obligations, meaning they are up to date in their payment.
Njoroge said most counties have not paid a single cent in more than a year. “I appeal to the governors to please pay,” he said.
Kemsa operates an ERP system whereby customer orders and invoicing is done.
But Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said in the eight years he has been at the helm, he has never received what he procured from Kemsa in time.
“Either I get only some of the things I procure or I get them very late when we have made other arrangements,” he said.
Mandago said it takes an irritatingly long time for Kemsa to deliver goods. The Kemsa distribution centre in his county has not been operational for a long time.
However, Njoroge said they are working to improve their systems so that delivery is faster.
He said once the Kisumu operations centre starts operations it will serve about 15 counties. The Mombasa centre will serve six counties, while the one in Uasin Gishu will serve the whole of the North Rift region.
Njoroge said they have reduced the delivery period from 18 days to 12, and they are targeting to bring it further down to 10.
On Saturday, Uhuru urged legislators to speed up the necessary amendments to laws to ensure the reforms take place to make the UHC programme a success. “This programme must succeed,” he said.
The monopoly of Kemsa has also been raised as an issue of concern, with Health CS Mutahi Kagwe calling for further discussions on the matter.
Kemsa chair Kembi Gitura said on Saturday there would be more transparency at the authority with the implementation of the e-procurement process. “It won’t be possible to manipulate tenders,” he said.
Already, 30 suppliers have registered with Kemsa through IFMIS.
He said there is a need to overhaul the ERP system, which he said is a work in progress and is expensive.