Kenya launches SMS system to verify medicine distribution in public hospitals

The Kenyan government launched a digital verification system on November 1 to ensure public hospitals only receive payments for medicines they actually provide to patients.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale introduced the initiative to improve accountability within the healthcare system. The Social Health Authority (SHA) will now use text messages to confirm whether patients receive their prescribed drugs. Patients receive these messages while still at health facilities and must respond to confirm the receipt of their medication.

If a patient reports that they did not receive their medicine, the SHA will deduct the cost of those specific drugs from the facility's reimbursement claim. The authority will still pay for other medical services provided during the visit. This move follows reports of patients receiving consultations but leaving hospitals without necessary prescriptions. The government also addressed issues regarding medicine shortages and the presence of private pharmacies near public hospitals.

To resolve these problems, officials are encouraging county health facilities to get their supplies from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa). Digital platforms are also being used to track hospital bed capacity, maternal health, and disease trends.