Kenya Health Ministry Flags Gaps in Access to Essential Medicines

The Ministry of Health has called for improvements in hospital pharmacy management and medicine distribution, warning that supplies reaching health facilities do not always translate into medicines reaching patients.

In an update published on 13 October, the ministry reported that the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has an order fill rate of between 90 and 92 per cent. However, access to essential medicines at patient level remains as low as 51 per cent in some facilities.

Hospital medicine management under scrutiny

Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga said hospitals need stronger systems for forecasting medicine demand, managing stocks and preventing shortages and wastage.

The concerns were raised during the KEMSA National Conference on Health Product Procurement and Supply Chain in Naivasha, Nakuru County.

The ministry is urging pharmacists to work more closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to improve medicine selection, procurement decisions and patient safety.

The proposed measures include strengthening Medicines and Therapeutics Committees and developing a harmonised list of health products to guide procurement for the 2026/2027 financial year.

Why the issue matters to patients

Reliable access to essential medicines is a key component of effective healthcare. Patients may struggle to complete prescribed treatment when medicines are unavailable, potentially forcing some to seek alternatives or purchase supplies elsewhere.

The gap identified by the ministry also raises questions about inventory management, distribution at facility level and the efficient use of public health resources.

As Kenya advances healthcare financing and digital health reforms, the ability to ensure that medicines reach patients will be an important measure of progress.

The government says its broader reform agenda includes reducing medicine costs, expanding digital systems and supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing. The practical test will be whether these initiatives improve availability and affordability for patients across counties.