BACKGROUND

The private sector plays a critical role in service delivery in Kenya, with 50% of patients accessing healthcare services through the private sector.

Additionally, almost 80% of public procurement and deliveries happen through private sector service providers. Well-constructed, mutually beneficial and commercially viable contracts with private sector partners have provided a cornerstone to Kenya’s success with outsourcing.

ARC’S ROLE

With the private sector playing such a significant role, the Africa Resource Centre (ARC) identified the need for a collaborative platform where the government could leverage the strengths and expertise of the private sector to support its efforts to address logistics-related gaps within the supply chain.

In creating this platform, ARC aimed to include as many relevant stakeholders from the logistics sector as possible and establish a forum where government and the private sector could interact regularly.

To do this, ARC leveraged existing platforms like the Kenya Health Federation. The Kenya Health Federation serves as the health sector board of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance. It is responsible for overseeing private sector engagement, including service delivery, suppliers, manufacturers and distributors. ARC has been working with the supply chain technical working group of the federation to engage the government in a collaborative platform where it can draw on insights and capabilities from the private sector.

A private sector engagement framework has been developed to support collaboration between the government and the private sector. An implementation plan and costing strategy will support this framework.

OUTCOMES AND IMPACT

ARC’s support to ministries of health focuses on strengthening six supply chain elements. The development of this forum strengthened four of these six areas: strategy, policies and research, governance and solutions proposals.

INCREASED PRIVATE SECTOR UNDERSTANDING OF NATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY

Key elements: governance

ARC’s platform created a space where government and the private sector could regularly interact to improve communication and understanding to facilitate effective, collaborative public-private partnerships across the public health supply chain.

IMPACT: Proposed private sector partner solutions will better align with the national supply chain strategy.

STRENGTHENING COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Key element: solutions proposals

Increasing the effectiveness of private sector support by developing a clear framework for engagement, including an implementation plan and costing strategy.

IMPACT: The framework will guide partners and the private sector on how to engage in the provision of products to the public sector.

INCREASING GOVERNMENT CAPACITY THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Key elements: policies and research

Giving the MoH access to private sector tools and expertise to increase capacity within the government to effectively implement the national supply chain strategy.

IMPACT: ARC has identified several private sector partners with mentorship and training programmes that can support increased government capability.

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