By Ruth Magak
Residents across Nakuru County are set to benefit from improved access to essential medicines and medical supplies as the County Government continues strengthening the systems that keep public health facilities stocked with life-saving commodities.
Under the leadership of H.E. Governor Susan Kihika, the County Government has prioritized building resilient health systems that not only expand infrastructure and the health workforce but also ensure medicines and medical supplies are available where and when they are needed. A key pillar of this effort is strengthening the management of Health Products and Technologies through data-driven planning and continuous performance improvement.
This commitment was evident during the County Health Products and Technologies performance review, where county and sub-county health teams evaluated the availability, utilization, reporting, and distribution of medicines and health commodities across public health facilities.
The review recorded encouraging progress in commodity reporting, with several reporting tools achieving between 98 and 100 per cent reporting rates, providing health managers with reliable information for forecasting demand, planning procurement, monitoring stock levels, and responding promptly to emerging supply needs.
Technical teams reviewed the performance of commodities supporting critical health programmes, including maternal and newborn health, HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, family planning, nutrition, laboratory services, vaccines, and non-communicable diseases. The review also assessed stock trends, commodity consumption, reporting timeliness, data quality, and accountability throughout the supply chain.
Using this information, the teams identified practical interventions to strengthen redistribution of commodities between facilities, minimise stock-outs, reduce wastage resulting from products nearing expiry, and improve inventory management across all levels of care.
Using this information, the teams are identifying practical interventions to strengthen redistribution of commodities between facilities, minimise stock-outs, reduce wastage resulting from products nearing expiry, and improve inventory management across all levels of care.
The review reflects the Department of Health Services’ commitment to continuous quality improvement by using accurate data to guide decision-making and strengthen accountability. Better commodity management means healthcare workers can deliver services with greater confidence, while patients are less likely to experience treatment interruptions caused by shortages of essential medicines.
As Nakuru continues implementing the County Integrated Development Plan (2023–2027), strengthening supply chain management remains a key component of Governor Susan Kihika’s broader agenda to improve healthcare delivery. Alongside investments in health infrastructure, recruitment and confirmation of healthcare workers, digital health systems, and primary healthcare, effective management of medicines and medical supplies is helping build a more responsive, efficient, and patient-centred health system.
Nakuru is improving the quality of care available to residents while advancing its vision of accessible, reliable, and equitable healthcare for every community by ensuring essential health products reach the right facility at the right time.