Health CS Susan Nakhumicha addresses claims of condom shortage in Kenya

The Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has dismissed reports claiming that there is a shortage of condoms in the country.

Nakhumicha clarified there were 38 million pieces of condoms in the country as of Wednesday morning, which is more than what the population requires.

“I would like to clarify to Kenyans that we do not have a shortage of condoms in the country. As a matter of fact, we have 38 million pieces of condoms as of this morning,” Nakhumicha said.

“This vis-à-vis the population of Kenyans, you can see that we are overstocked.”

However, the CS noted there was a challenge in the distribution process of the condoms and said a health facility has to request supply through the county, which is then sent to Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

“We have sufficient quantities. We have a challenge with how these condoms get to mwananchi because of the process,” she said.

“A health facility has to request for condoms by consolidating their orders to the county. We then get one order from the county and send it to KEMSA.”

Nakhumicha further said that there was a lapse in managing the distribution process as she explained the complexity of distributing the condoms to the local dispensaries.

“We have a lapse in managing that process, but we are working together to streamline it,” the CS said.

She also said the National Aids Control Council (NACC) also makes distribution lists that are also sent to KEMSA for the supplies to be fulfilled.