ARC has been working with the Federation’s supply chain technical working group to engage the ministry of health in a collaborative platform where it can draw on insights and capabilities from the private sector.
Date:
July 9, 2021
Author(s):
Africa Resource Centre
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 to draw on insights and capabilities from the private sector.
OUTCOMES AND IMPACT
ARC’s support to ministries of health focuses on strengthening six supply chain elements. The development of this forum strengthened three of these six areas: policies and research, governance and solutions proposals.
INCREASED PRIVATE SECTOR UNDERSTANDING OF NATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY
Key element: 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 be better aligned to the national supply chain strategy.
STRENGTHENING THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Key element: solutions proposals
Increasing the effectiveness of private sector support by expanding understanding of the gaps in the supply chain and where solutions would have the most significant impact on medicine availability in Kenya.
IMPACT: The private sector has recently been included in government roundtables around local production and manufacturing.
INCREASING GOVERNMENT CAPACITY THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Key element: policies and research
Giving the MoH access to private sector tools and expertise to increase capacity within government to effectively implement the national supply chain strategy.
IMPACT: ARC has identified several private sector partners with mentorship and training programs to support increased government capability.
