KEMSA Announces Five-Day Supply Disruption: Health Facilities Urged to Prepare
Eugine Wabwile Juma
2 min read
Health facilities across the country have been advised to prepare in advance after the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) announced a temporary suspension of routine medical supply dispatch and receipt operations next month.
BY CYNTHIA ELIZABETH
Health facilities across the country have been advised to prepare in advance after the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) announced a temporary suspension of routine medical supply dispatch and receipt operations next month.
In a public notice dated June 9, KEMSA said its Nairobi and Regional Distribution Centres will remain closed from July 6 to July 10, 2026, to facilitate an annual nationwide stock-taking exercise.The temporary shutdown means normal delivery and receipt of medical commodities will not take place during the five-day period. However, the authority clarified that emergency medical supply requests will continue to be processed to avoid disruption of essential health services.
KEMSA expects normal operations to resume on July 13, once the audit exercise is completed and distribution systems return to standard operation.According to the authority, the stock audit will involve a physical verification of all medical supplies stored in its warehouses and matching the findings against records captured in its inventory systems.
Independent stock takers will supervise the exercise to promote accuracy and accountability. Their work will include checking batch numbers, confirming expiry dates, and identifying stock that is usable, expired, or damaged.After verification, financial experts will carry out valuation of usable stock, with the final figures incorporated into KEMSA’s financial reporting in line with international accounting standards.KEMSA also noted that the Competition Authority of Kenya will oversee the process to ensure consistency in pricing of medical supplies across the country.
The authority says the exercise forms part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability, minimise medicine wastage, and improve future planning in procurement and distribution.Healthcare facilities have therefore been encouraged to assess their stock levels early and make necessary arrangements ahead of the temporary closure.
