Microsoft Word 02Preface doc

Figure 5.4    Main Structure of the Ministry of Health 
 
 
 
Source: Ministry of Health (1998), National Health Sector Strategic Plan 1999-2004 
 
The National Public Health Laboratory Services (NHPLS) is the tertiary referral 
laboratory among public medical facilities, and belongs to PPHSS.    There are seven 
main laboratories, namely, the 1) blood safety laboratory, 2) vaccine laboratory, 3) 
microbiology laboratory, 4) quality control/safety check laboratory, 5) medical/ 
post-mortem laboratory, 6) food/nutrition laboratory, 7) monitoring/outbreak 
laboratory. 
NPHLS is also responsible for the provision of all laboratory needs including various 
reagents and testing kits such as for HIV/AIDS, STI, malaria, diabetes, urine, etc.  
NPHLS makes projections of its needs each year and these are passed onto the Kenya 
Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) who tenders for the supplies and then directs 
them back to the MOH for procurement.  However, NPHLS usually receives only 
about one-third of their requirements through this system and therefore all laboratory 
supplies have to be rationed to the provinces and districts.  Supplies such as 
equipment are kept in KEMSA, but the reagents come to the NPHLS store in Nairobi.   
The logistics system for managing and distributing items requiring a cold chain is not 
well developed.   
 
Minister 
Ministry of Health
Jomo Kenyatta National Hospital 
KMTC 
KEMRI 
National Health Insurance Fund 
Assistant 
Ministers 
Dept. of 
Curative & 
Rehabilitative 
Health 
Services 
District 
Health 
services
Dept. of 
Human 
Resource 
Planning & 
Development
Dept. of 
Standards & 
Regulatory 
Services 
Dept. of 
Finance & 
Administ- 
ration 
Dept. of 
Policy 
Planning & 
Development
Dept. of 
Preventive & 
Promotive 
Health 
Services 
Provincial 
Health 
services 
NPHLS
Director General
Health services 
Permanent Secretary 
(PS) 

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