Nairobi — The Cabinet has issued a policy directive requiring the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to prioritize locally made pharmaceuticals over imports.
In a Cabinet dispatch released on Monday, the country's apex policy organ stated the action will support the local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
"To breathe life to the 'one health' approach, Cabinet directed that the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) shall ensure that procurement of locally manufactured pharmaceutical products receive preference over imports," the dispatch from Kisumu State Lodge read.
The government added that the intervention will help realize the Administration's plan to bolster local manufacturing under the 'Buy Kenya Build Kenya' campaign as part of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
KEMSA is a non-profit state corporation under the Ministry of Health established to support procurement of medical supplies for Kenya's health facilities.
Its duties include obtaining, keeping, and distributing medical supplies to public health centers.
Pandemic treaty negotiations
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee to negotiate the Pandemic Treaty with World Health Organization (WHO).
The Cabinet stated the intervention seeks to address the challenges of vaccine apartheid and hoarding witnessed by Kenya and other developing nations at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The inter-ministerial committee will advocate for equity in developing the Pandemic Treaty; in addition to calling for strengthening both the WHO and the International Health Regulations.
"To enhance our national preparedness for future pandemics, Cabinet considered and approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee to negotiate the Pandemic Treaty with World Health Organization (WHO)," read the dispatch.
"In doing so, Kenya will also make the case for a global health supplies architecture for pandemic preparedness based on equitable principles."
The Cabinet also approved the implementation of the Kenya Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Project.
The project will help strengthen the local health systems to realize the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The Project, implemented with the support of the World Bank, will seek to establish capacity for the 'fill-and-finish' production of human vaccines at the Kenya BioVax Institute, strengthening the regulatory capacity of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
"It will comprise of strengthening the Quality Control and Assurance capacity of the National Quality Control Laboratory; strengthening the capacity of the National Public Health Institute; and Human resources capacity, learning, development, and technology transfer in bio-manufacturing," Cabinet Office said.
