Dr Waqo Ejersa, the former head of the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung D*****e Program in the Ministry of Health, will be the next chief executive of Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
Dr Ejersa is taking over from Dr Andrew Mulwa, who has been serving as the CEO, but in an acting capacity, since March 2023.
KEMSA confirmed his appointment Tuesday evening in a letter of appointment signed by its board chairperson Irungu Nyakera, which indicates that he is to serve a four-year term as the new CEO of the state corporation that procures, warehouses and distributes medical commodities to public health facilities effective July 23, 2024.
> KEMSA Chair Irungu Nyakera Promises to Clear Mess
That employment letter addressed to Dr Ejersa included a statement from Mr Nyakera, who congratulated him on behalf of the Board of Directors for his appointment and wished him a successful tenure. “You will be expected to sign a detailed contract of employment, which will soon be availed to you. Therefore, you are cordially requested to attend a handover ceremony on Friday, July 26, 2024, at 9.30 AM at the KEMSA headquarters in Embakasi,” the KEMSA Chairman said.
For over 25 years now, Dr Ejersa has had the privilege of impacting people’s lives through medical practice and policy development at both national and international levels, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“I have contributed immensely to improved healthcare management systems, fashioned better healthcare service through capacity building, improved healthcare funding through advocacy and fundraising, and spearheaded the reduction of malaria prevalence being a lead and renowned expert in that field,” he says.
He is a graduate of the University of Nairobi (UON), where he studied Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery between 1989 and 1996 and holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and another Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialism in strategy programme and business management from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
On another note, Dr Ejersa has received the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW), the Kenyan award presented to individuals for their outstanding service rendered to the country in different responsibilities and capacities.
