Government, KEMSA push for strong pharmacist leadership to curb stock outs

Government officials and KEMSA officials emphasized the importance of strong pharmacist leadership and enhanced collaboration between hospitals and the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to tackle stock-outs and enhance access to life-saving medicines and technologies. During the KEMSA National Conference in Naivasha, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, stressed that effective health product management is crucial for quality healthcare delivery and achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Oluga pointed out that procurement alone is insufficient to guarantee product availability, urging hospital pharmacists to collaborate closely with medical professionals to refine forecasting, minimize stock-outs, lower wastage, and encourage proper medication use. The Principal Secretary also appreciated KEMSA's ongoing transformation, noting that operational reforms are improving Order Fill Rate, order turnaround times, and supply chain efficiency.

KEMSA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Waqo Ejersa, echoed the call for stronger pharmacist leadership, stressing that supply chain performance should be measured by patients' access to needed products, not by the quantity procured. Ejersa said procurement decisions should be based on actual facility needs, stock levels, disease trends, clinical guidelines, and projected demand.

He urged health facilities to acknowledge pharmacists as vital strategic partners in healthcare delivery, focusing on facility needs identification, procurement planning, product selection, and inventory management.

Dr. Ejersa further explained that KEMSA is refining evidence-based decisions using market intelligence, product utilization data, supplier capacity, pricing, and emerging risks to determine procurement needs, timing, and value for public funds. He cautioned that inaccurate inventory management, along with poor quantification, could result in stock-outs, expired medications, and wasteful spending.

Ejersa called on hospitals to share timely consumption data on slow-moving or short-dated products, harmonize product specifications, and prioritize new products based on clinical value, affordability, and proven necessity.