The adoption of the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system is gaining momentum as Kenya moves decisively toward digitising health procurement processes. The shift is expected to transform service delivery by making procurement more efficient, transparent, and cost-effective.
The e-GP system has already attracted significant uptake, with over 1,200 procuring entities and more than 7,600 suppliers registered on the platform. Several institutions have uploaded their procurement plans, while thousands of officers and suppliers have undergone training to ensure smooth operation. A dedicated help desk has also been set up to support users and address emerging challenges.
The Ministry of Health has outlined a series of reforms within supply chain management that align with the rollout of e-GP. These reforms include strengthening the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), promoting local manufacturing of essential health commodities, and embedding digitisation as a core driver of efficiency. By moving procurement fully online, the system ensures that processes are traceable, auditable, and free from unnecessary delays.
Key benefits of the system include cutting costs, reducing procurement cycles, and maximising value for money. Additionally, e-GP enhances confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of transactions, safeguarding public resources while boosting accountability. Procurement officers across government are being urged to embrace the shift by forwarding budgets, creating user profiles, and initiating digital procurement planning without delay.
The transition to e-GP marks a decisive break from manual procurement, which has often been associated with inefficiencies and lack of transparency. With reforms in motion, the government has made it clear that there will be no turning back from the digital transformation of procurement processes.
Ultimately, the success of e-GP in health procurement is expected to ensure that medical facilities receive supplies more quickly and reliably, directly benefiting service delivery and patient care. By driving reforms in supply chains, encouraging local production, and fully digitising procurement, the health sector is positioned to achieve higher efficiency, better value for resources, and improved outcomes for citizens.
