The upgraded facility will support improved storage and inventory management of essential medical supplies, benefiting over 300,000 people

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir and KEMSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Waqo Ejersa launch a refurbished medicine store at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital/HANDOUT

The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has handed over a refurbished medicine store at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital in Mombasa County.

The development marks a significant milestone in strengthening Good Storage Practices (GSP), safeguarding the quality of essential medicines and improving health commodity management at the facility.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir president over the ceremony, underscoring the growing partnership between KEMSA and the devolved unit in strengthening healthcare infrastructure and ensuring that essential Health Products and Technologies (HPT) are stored under appropriate conditions before reaching patients.

Speaking during the handover, KEMSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Waqo Ejersa emphasised that maintaining the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines requires sustained attention throughout the healthcare supply chain, even after products have been delivered to health facilities.

"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. By improving storage infrastructure at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital, KEMSA is strengthening commodity management, minimising the risk of avoidable product deterioration and losses, and ultimately supporting safer and more effective patient care," said Ejersa.

The CEO explained that the intervention followed a comprehensive needs assessment undertaken in April 2025 by KEMSA in collaboration with Mombasa County and hospital management.

KEMSA Chief Executive Officer Dr Waqo Ejersa and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir during the hand over of a refurbished medicine store at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital/HANDOUT

The refurbishment involved extensive structural and functional improvements designed to create a safer, more secure and better-organised environment for managing health commodities.

Key works included the installation of a ceiling and air-conditioning system to support temperature control, floor improvements, additional windows fitted with security grills, and installation of appropriate doors to enhance security and ventilation.

Nassir welcomed the refurbishment, describing it as a practical demonstration of the value of collaboration between national institutions and county governments in addressing healthcare delivery challenges.

"Strong healthcare systems are built through effective collaboration between national and county governments and institutions such as KEMSA. This investment at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital demonstrates how targeted interventions can strengthen health facility infrastructure, improve the management of essential medical supplies and contribute to better healthcare outcomes for our people," the governor said.

The Port Reitz project forms part of KEMSA's broader CSR strategy, which prioritises targeted, sustainable interventions aligned with the Authority's core mandate of improving access to quality, affordable Health Products and Technologies.

KEMSA has previously supported similar healthcare infrastructure projects, including medicine store improvements at Mtwapa Sub-County Hospital in Kilifi County and Msambweni County Referral Hospital in Kwale County, as well as a laboratory project at Nyonjoro Health Centre in Nakuru County.

During the current financial year, the Authority is also finalising a laboratory project at Dakabaricha Dispensary in Marsabit County.