The government has announced an overhaul of the National Equipment Support Programme (NESP) after directing that all existing contracts with zero installation in public hospitals be cancelled and replaced with new vendors.
The decision, issued during the 12th National and County Governments Coordinating Summit held at State House on December 10, aims to end years of stalled projects and ensure that essential medical equipment finally reaches the facilities it was procured for.
In the new directive, the Ministry of Health has been instructed to immediately terminate contracts where suppliers failed to install equipment, some of which have remained unused long after procurement. The ministry will now move to issue fresh contracts to new vendors who can deliver and install the machines without further delays.
The existing vendors installation contracts under the National Equipment Support Programme (NESP) with zero installation at public health facilities shall be cancelled by the Ministry of Health to allow for the issuance of new contracts to new vendors.Officials say the move is intended to unlock long-pending installations that have hindered service delivery in counties, especially in facilities that have been waiting for critical diagnostic and treatment tools.
The reform is expected to inject new accountability into the multibillion-shilling programme, which was designed to equip public hospitals with modern medical technology but has faced implementation challenges since its rollout.
By replacing non-performing suppliers, the government hopes to accelerate the operationalisation of health facilities and strengthen Kenya’s push toward accessible, quality healthcare across all counties.
