Kenya Medical Supplies Authority

Name

Kenya Medical Supplies Authority

Legal name

Kenya Medical Supplies Authority

Website

https://kemsa.go.ke

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Supply Chain and Medical Commodities Distribution

NAICS

Warehousing and Storage (4931), General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (49221)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Supply Chain & Procurement Organizations (HLAJAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health Supply Chain, Procurement & Access to Medicines (BPADAIAI)

Keywords

• Medical supplies distribution
• Pharmaceutical procurement
• Healthcare supply chain
• Health commodities logistics
• Public health supply chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Embakasi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: KEMSA receives funding allocations from the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health for procurement and distribution of health products and technologies for public health programs, national strategic stock reserves, and essential health packages.
2. County Government Purchases: County governments purchase health products and technologies from KEMSA using their own health budgets. Examples include Kilifi County (KSh 850 million for FY 2025/26), Kwale County (KSh 300 million), and other counties. These are recurring purchases based on annual county health budgets.
3. Externally Mobilized Funds: KEMSA manages externally funded programs including World Bank-funded procurement tenders, Global Fund-supported commodities (HIV supplies, LLIN malaria nets), and UNFPA family planning commodities. These funds support procurement of specific health commodities for national programs.
4. Donor-Funded Distribution Services: KEMSA receives and distributes donated commodities such as UAE-donated medicines, serving as the official distribution channel. This includes handling the full logistics from central warehouse to last-mile health facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

KEMSA procures, warehouses, and distributes Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) for prescribed public health programs, national strategic stock reserves, essential health packages, and national referral hospitals across all 47 counties of Kenya. Operations are coordinated through the proprietary Integrated Logistics Management Information System (iLMIS) that provides end-to-end visibility from order placement to facility-level delivery.

Product overview

Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) is a state corporation that operates a platform-based supply chain model for Health Products and Technologies (HPTs). The core offerings include Procurement Services, Warehousing Services, and Distribution Service that work together through the AI-powered iLMIS (Integrated Logistics Management Information System) platform. The iLMIS serves as the central nervous system, enabling real-time order tracking, predictive demand forecasting, and coordinated dispatch. Supporting systems include LMIS2 (legacy platform), E-POD for delivery confirmation, E-Locks for security, and the KEMSA Portal for stakeholder engagement. The Supplementary Services Division (SSD) extends capabilities to specialized products for non-communicable diseases, serving national referral hospitals, universities, prisons, and government facilities. Together, these components enable KEMSA to serve over 9,000 health facilities across all 47 counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Procurement Services End-to-end procurement of Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) for prescribed public health programs, national strategic stock reserves, essential health packages, and national referral hospitals in Kenya. Procures via strategic sourcing and bulk purchasing.
• Warehousing Services Storage and inventory management of health commodities at KEMSA's National Supply Chain Centre in Embakasi, Nairobi, and regional distribution centres, ensuring proper storage conditions and stock management for HPTs.
• Distribution Service Last-mile delivery of Health Products and Technologies to health facilities across Kenya's 47 counties, serving over 9,000 health facilities with direct delivery capability and 7-10 day turnaround times.
• iLMIS (Integrated Logistics Management Information System) AI-powered web-based platform for ordering, tracking, and reporting that provides real-time visibility from order placement to facility-level delivery with predictive analytics for demand forecasting. Built entirely by KEMSA's in-house developers.
• Supplementary Services Division (SSD) Strategic business unit offering specialized health products with emphasis on non-communicable and neglected tropical diseases including oncology, renal, diabetes, and hypertension. Serves national referral hospitals, universities, prisons, and government facilities.
• County Services Dedicated engagement, account management, and liaison services for all 47 county governments in Kenya, supporting county-level procurement, supply chain coordination, and last-mile delivery to county health facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Order Fill Rate increased from 32-39% to over 70% under CEO Dr. Waqo Ejersa's reforms, with several counties exceeding 90% (Kilifi 94.9%, Makueni 98%, Baringo 96%)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting.

• Angola Ministry of HealthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Angola Ministry of Health delegation led by Dr. Job Monteiro conducted benchmarking visit to KEMSA's National Supply Chain Centre in Embakasi. Sessions highlighted KEMSA's integrated model serving over 9,000 health facilities across all 47 counties, with direct last-mile delivery.
• Council of GovernorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026The Council of Governors participates in joint assessments and supply chain strengthening initiatives with KEMSA and UNFPA. Represents the collective voice of Kenya's 47 county governments in health commodity supply chain governance.
• Health NGO's NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025Health NGO's Network delegation led by Dr. Margaret Lubale, Executive Director, explored potential areas of collaboration with KEMSA CEO Dr. Waqo Ejersa. Discussions highlighted priority areas requiring enhancement to improve access to affordable healthcare.
• UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025UNFPA and KEMSA conduct joint assessments including Family Planning Commodities Last Mile Assurance (LMA) exercises and national stock verification. UNFPA Representative Anders Thomsen praised KEMSA's transformation journey and digital systems. The partnership strengthens reproductive health supply chains and closes gaps in unmet family planning needs across Kenya's 47 counties.
• NASCOP (National AIDS and STI Control Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025NASCOP collaborated with KEMSA and Global Fund on the reception of Kenya's first batch of Lenacapavir HIV injectables. NASCOP leads Kenya's national HIV prevention and treatment programs with KEMSA managing commodity supply chains.
• Max FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2025Partnership discussion with Max Foundation and Ministry of Health's National Cancer Control Program regarding cancer treatment program valued at Sh. 19B and possibility of expansion to incorporate breast cancer treatment. KEMSA serves as the supply chain partner for oncology commodities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Imperial Health Sciences: South Africa-based healthcare-focused logistics and distribution services provider operating across Africa. Comparable to KEMSA in pharmaceutical warehousing and distribution capabilities, with similar technology-driven supply chain offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Crown Agents: UK-headquartered international development company that manages large-scale procurement and supply-chain operations for donor-funded health programmes globally, overlapping with KEMSA's donor-funded procurement, warehousing, and distribution mandates at broader scale.
• GHSC-PSM (Chemonics): USAID's flagship global health supply chain programme managed by Chemonics, procuring and delivering health commodities including HIV, malaria, and family planning supplies across developing countries. Comparable to KEMSA's donor-funded procurement and last-mile distribution scope.

Direct peers

• Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency (EPSA): Ethiopia's national pharmaceutical supply agency operating under similar statutory authority to procure, warehouse, and distribute medicines across public health facilities. Comparable to KEMSA in mandate and donor-funded procurement scale.
• Medical Stores Department (Tanzania): Tanzania's autonomous government supply-chain agency responsible for procurement, warehousing, and distribution of medicines and medical supplies to public health facilities. Directly comparable in statutory mandate and operational scope to KEMSA.
• National Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe (NatPharm): Zimbabwe's statutory body for procurement, storage, and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to government health institutions. Directly comparable mission and operating model to KEMSA's.
• Rwanda Medical Supply Ltd: Rwanda's centralised medical supply chain entity responsible for procurement, storage, and last-mile distribution of health commodities to public facilities. Closely comparable to KEMSA in mandate, scale of national coverage, and reform orientation.
• Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA): Zambia's statutory national medicines supply agency, recently restructured to procure, warehouse, and distribute essential medicines across public health facilities. Operates a near-identical mandate to KEMSA in the East/Southern Africa region.
• National Medical Stores (Uganda): Uganda's statutory national medical supplies authority, mandated to procure, store, and distribute essential medicines and health supplies to public health facilities. Operates the same national supply-chain mandate model as KEMSA in a neighbouring East African country.

Others

• UNICEF Supply Division: UN central procurement and supply-chain hub for vaccines, medicines, and health commodities serving country programmes. Relevant comparison for KEMSA's role as a national equivalent executing donor-funded health commodity distribution at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9T2n6l_IhjPf-aEpvf5Opg/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kenya-medical-supplies-authority

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kenya Medical Supplies Authority