The data centre at KNH would be linked to 97 other county and sub-county referral health facilities, NHIF and
Kemsa. According to a senior surgeon at KNH, who spoke to the Nation on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media, the national referral facility requires "foundational equipment to allow the communication to happen with county facilities".
The debt is for services that
Kemsa has been rendering to the ministry including procurement of products, distribution and warehousing for products from donors including family planning commodities, condoms nutrition products.
Kemsa was chosen as a key cog in delivering the President's agenda and has since improved on its delivery capacity.
"The county government of Nakuru does not have any debts with
Kemsa other than the pharmaceutical drugs that they have supplied us today.
Health executive Mohammed Dagane had earlier said that since the county's agreement with
Kemsa last August, the authority had dispatched drugs only once.
The hospital also needs painkillers, antibiotics and non-pharmaceuticals such as gloves, diabetic dress as well as drugs to treat non-communicable diseases.DRUGS DEBT"The procurement officer (at the hospital) reported that the existing
Kemsa debt partially contributed to low supply of drugs and therefore they had to procure drugs and non-pharmaceuticals on loans.
City Hall had promised to pay
Kemsa Sh30 million every month from August last year to clear its debts, but it infrequently pays less than that.
The latest report by the Auditor-General indicates that
Kemsa was found to have in stock expired drugs worth Sh150 million as at the end of the 2018 financial year.
Earlier last month, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya called upon the government to reform the National Health Insurance Fund and
Kemsa. He said the two institutions are pivotal in implementing UHC.
Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (
Kemsa) had supplied the first consignment of essential drugs last month to the main hospitals in Voi, Wundanyi, Mwatate and Taveta.
"If
Kemsa already supplied them with medicines, then they have to pay.