The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has refurbished a medicine store at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital in Mombasa County in a move aimed at improving the storage and management of essential medicines.
The facility, which serves more than 300,000 people in Changamwe, Jomvu and surrounding areas, was handed over on Monday during a ceremony presided over by Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir.
The refurbishment was undertaken under KEMSA’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme for the 2025/2026 financial year following an assessment that identified inadequate storage space, deteriorating infrastructure and other challenges affecting the hospital’s handling of medical supplies.
KEMSA chief executive Waqo Ejersa said proper storage was essential in maintaining the quality and safety of medicines before they reached patients.
“Protecting the quality of medicines does not end with procurement or delivery. Appropriate storage conditions are equally important in preserving product integrity before medicines reach patients,” he said.
The assessment was conducted in April 2025 in collaboration with the county government and hospital management to identify infrastructure gaps and determine the improvements required.
The renovation included installing a ceiling and air-conditioning system to support temperature control, improving floors, reinforcing cracked walls and fitting windows with security grills.
The works also involved repairing storage racks, installing secure doors, constructing office space and a washroom, and installing gutters for rainwater harvesting. Perimeter paving was also undertaken to reduce pest intrusion and the risk of water damage.
Ejersa said the improvements would help the hospital strengthen stock control, reduce medicine losses and ensure medical supplies were stored under appropriate conditions.
He added that proper storage facilities needed to be supported by regular temperature monitoring, accurate inventory records, equipment maintenance and compliance with recommended storage requirements.
“Investments in appropriate storage infrastructure are not merely improvements to buildings; they are investments in medicine quality, patient safety and the efficient utilisation of healthcare resources,” he said.
Governor Nassir welcomed the investment, saying cooperation between national institutions and county governments was critical to improving healthcare delivery.
He said the county remained committed to working with KEMSA to ensure health facilities had reliable access to quality and affordable medicines and other essential medical supplies.
Ejersa also commended the county for its engagement with KEMSA, including consistent ordering and timely payment for supplies, saying predictable financing was important in sustaining the authority’s procurement and distribution operations.
He said timely payments supported KEMSA’s revolving fund model, enabling it to continue purchasing and distributing medical supplies to health facilities across the country.
The Port Reitz project is part of KEMSA’s wider efforts to support county health systems through targeted infrastructure investments.
The authority has previously supported medicine store improvements at Mtwapa Sub-County Hospital in Kilifi County and Msambweni County Referral Hospital in Kwale County. It has also undertaken a laboratory project at Nyonjoro Health Centre in Nakuru County and is finalising another at Dakabaricha Dispensary in Marsabit County.
KEMSA said the Port Reitz facility had undergone completion checks and was ready for handover, with the improvements expected to strengthen medicine storage, inventory management and the protection of essential medical supplies.
