KEMSA announces temporary closure of distribution centres from July 1

KEMSA said the shutdown will affect its Nairobi and Regional Distribution Centres, starting from Tuesday, July 1, to Friday, July 4, 2025. (Photo: State Department for Public Works)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Tuesday, June 17, 2025

During this period, the agency confirmed that both the receipt and dispatch of medical supplies will be suspended. However, it clarified that emergency cases will still be attended to.

Medical supplies to public health facilities will be temporarily suspended for five days after the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) announced a closure of its distribution centres to allow for an annual stock-take.

In a notice issued on Tuesday, KEMSA said the shutdown will affect its Nairobi and Regional Distribution Centres, starting from Tuesday, July 1, to Friday, July 4, 2025.

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“We wish to notify our esteemed customers and the general public that we shall close our Nairobi and Regional Distribution Centres for the annual stock-take effective Tuesday, July 1 to Friday, July 4, 2025,” the authority said.

During this period, the agency confirmed that both the receipt and dispatch of medical supplies will be suspended. However, it clarified that emergency cases will still be attended to.

The authority announced that normal operations will resume on Monday, July 7, 2025.

The temporary halt is expected to affect deliveries to various public hospitals and clinics that rely on KEMSA for essential drugs and equipment.

KEMSA, a state corporation under the Ministry of Health and established under the KEMSA Act 2013, is mandated to procure, warehouse and distribute Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) for national referral hospitals, public health programmes, and national strategic stock reserves.

The announcement comes amid ongoing reforms within the agency aimed at improving efficiency and restoring public trust.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday said the Government is recapitalising KEMSA and has introduced a Sh10 billion revolving credit facility to secure uninterrupted medical supplies in the 2025/26 financial year.

Last month, Duale announced new changes that would see public health facilities pay KEMSA directly for medical supplies under the Social Health Authority (SHA), cutting out the county government revenue systems.

He said the reform is designed to streamline delivery and improve efficiency in the last mile, particularly in dealing with drug shortages that have long burdened Kenya’s health sector.

The CS acknowledged that the availability of drugs continues to be a major concern in the public health system and emphasised that the ongoing reforms at KEMSA are meant to increase the order fulfilment rate from the current 47 per cent to 100 per cent.

He said the direct payment system will remove bureaucratic delays linked to counties and ensure timely delivery to health centres.