The Garissa County Referral Hospital has declared a major boost in its drug supply system to enhance provisions of quality healthcare.

The facility has received a large consignment of essential and non-essential medical commodities from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) and the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS).

The hospital Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mahat Salah, said pharmaceutical stocks are now stable and sufficient to support its mandate as a regional referral facility.

Established in 1967, Garissa County Referral Hospital has evolved from a small city council facility into a regional healthcare powerhouse offering secondary, tertiary, emergency, and specialized care.

Today, it is a 300-bed hospital offering essential services to a catchment population of over 500,000 individuals across Garissa and neighboring counties, including Kitui, Tana River, Isiolo, Wajir, and Mandera.

It is also a lifeline for both the local population and the refugee population of Dadaab, providing healthcare to over 355,000 individuals.

“We are happy to announce that the hospital now has adequate stocks of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical supplies,” said Salah.

“Since I came into office, we have sustained the hospital's supply system and strengthened our inventory and commodity management frameworks.”

According to the Hospital Chief Executive, the drugs received — estimated to be worth nearly Sh20 million — are part of a quarterly replenishment plan designed to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines.

He said the hospital sources its pharmaceuticals exclusively from certified suppliers such as KEMSA and MEDS, in line with national protocols and the Kenya Essential Drug List.

“We are assuring the public that Garissa County Level 5 Teaching and Referral Hospital has a sustainable and adequately stocked drug system. Our planning aligns with our service delivery level and the specialized nature of the care we offer,” he added.

Salah noted that the hospital is aligned with its focus on procurement while also investing in long-term systems improvement.

He announced plans to automate the entire pharmaceutical management process, including drug store inventory, pharmacy-level operations, and commodity tracking.

“Automation is on the way. We are soon rolling out an integrated drug store management system, which will cover inventory and commodity management, and enhance efficiency across the board,” said the head of the hospital.

The Senior-most executive of the former Provincial Hospital also revealed that the hospital will soon decentralize its inpatient pharmacy services to streamline drug distribution within the wards and improve access for admitted patients.

Salah credited the hospital’s pharmaceutical team for managing the commodities according to national standards and urged continued professionalism in handling supplies.

“We are serviced by highly trained pharmaceutical staff who are maintaining proper standards of commodity management. We appeal to all drug handlers, from pharmacists to nurses to ensure transparency and accountability in their daily operations,” he said.

The Executive Officer called on clinicians to stay updated on available stock levels to make sound clinical decisions, ensuring patients receive the most appropriate treatments based on real-time availability.

“We expect all prescribers to be fully informed about the drug inventory to support the best clinical decisions. Proper communication between pharmacy and clinicians is essential,” Salah emphasized.

The facility Chief reminded the public that as a Level 5 facility, the hospital operates beyond primary care and caters to a broad regional population through its referral system.

The pharmaceutical supplies, he noted, are tailored to match the complexity and scope of this role.

“This hospital is a referral center for a vast region. Our supply system is structured to meet the specific needs of this level of healthcare delivery,” said the hospital manager.

“While smaller facilities handle primary care, we focus on specialized services,” he added.

He acknowledged that occasional shortages of certain drugs might occur due to clinical preferences and unique prescriptions.

The CEO stressed that the hospital routinely provides alternatives within its essential drugs framework.

Reaffirming the hospital’s commitment to quality care, Salah assured patients and the public that there is no need to seek drugs outside the facility, except in rare cases.

“We want to tell the public that our drugs are essential, certified, and in line with national protocols. There is no necessity for patients to buy drugs elsewhere,” he said.

“We care for our clients, and our system is designed to ensure essential medicines are available at all times.”