The County Government of Turkana and Kenya Medical Supplies Authority – KEMSA have reaffirmed their commitment to sign a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that is set to span for three years.

The revised MoU reflects the collaboration between the county and KEMSA, to ensure essential medicines and medical supplies are accessible to the people. This also furthers the universal healthcare agenda.

A notable revision in the renewed MoU is the extension of the credit period from the previous 30 days to a more flexible 90 days. This adjustment allows the Department of Health and Sanitation to reduce late payments.

Speaking in a meeting with KEMSA representative, County Executive of Health and Sanitation, Dr Anthony Apalia, welcomed the credit period extension and that a justifiable late payment would not hinder the placement of orders.

“We commend KEMSA for its efforts in visiting health facilities. However, I urge them to prioritize visits to the hard-to-reach areas to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the region’s unique needs,” he said.

Dr Gilchrist Lokoel, the County Chief Officer for Medical Services, requested KEMSA to further improve its feedback mechanism, particularly when essential items are temporarily out of stock.

“This enhanced communication will enable the county to place timely orders through alternative channels, such as the MEDS (Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies),” Chief Lokoel said.

In line with these recommendations, both Dr Apalia and Dr Lokoel encouraged KEMSA to consider engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities that would benefit the local community.

The Ag. Director for Health Products and Technologies, Dr. David Moru, revealed that the Directorate was exploring the possibility of placing additional orders for sub-county hospitals.

He explained that the hospitals have higher workloads and often support other facilities with supplies.

Furthermore, Dr. Brian Muyokani, the County Pharmacist, urged KEMSA to enhance their fill rate to ensure timely and complete fulfillment of orders, thus maintaining a consistent supply of essential medicines and supplies.

Zaccheaus Muya Lutomia, County Sales and Marketing Officer for the North Rift Region (KEMSA) underlined that the new revised MoU includes terms that would significantly improve service delivery to the county.

Also present at the meeting were Alice Akalapatan (Acting Director of Medical Services) and Sylvia Aletia (Senior Accountant).