Dr. Meinrad Lugan, a board member at B. Braun Melsungen and head of the hospital care division, was on his maiden tour to Kenya in June 5-6, 2012. His visit was aimed at assessing progress made within the GIZ/B. Braun public private partnership (PPP) project, as well as meet officials and partners from GIZ – Kenya, the German Embassy, the Ministry of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, and the Strathmore Business School.

The GIZ/B Braun PPP, under the GIZ- Health Sector Programme, has been actively implemented since July 2011 with an overall aim of facilitating improvements in medical safety and health service provision in the Kenyan health sector. During the brief tour, Dr. Lugan met Mr. Braun, Head of the Economic affairs division at the German Embassy. Discussions focused on Kenya’s past and present economic and political scenarios and its potential for future investment opportunities. Mr. Braun noted that the 2007/08 elections, had a negative impact on Kenya’s economic growth, but with implementation of the new constitution, whose greatest strength has been the strengthening of various institutions, will act to strengthen investor confidence and in creating an enabling environment for continued economic growth. Discussions regarding other major cross-regional investments by the Kenyan Government, including the Sudan-Kenya oil pipeline and the Lamu port pointed towards increased confidence in Kenya and the opening up of the East African region as an important investment destination, in Africa.

Dr. Lugan also visited the Strathmore Business School, where he addressed fourty graduants who had undertaken the Quality Patient and Staff Safety (QPSS) Programme. In attendance were various Chief Executive Officers; acting head of the National Quality Control Lab, Dr Ali, Dr Gakombe (Metropolitan Hospital), Dr Aruasa (Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital), Mrs Oywer (Nursing Council of Kenya), Mr Rakuom (Chief Nursing Officer), Mr Kikliko (MEDS) and Dr Nyarango (Gertrude’s Hospital), among others. Discussions by various CEOs appreciated the important role played by GIZ and that of SBS in shifting focus from executive business programmes to executive health related programmes, and the importance of tackling ‘forgotten’ areas such as patient and clinician safety.

Dr. Lugan, in his speech to the graduates impressed upon them of the need to always focus on quality, as an easier means to reduce overall costs in health care delivery. Mr. Rakuom, the chief Nursing Officer, noted the German Development Cooperation’s contribution towards the ultimate launch of the Kenya Quality Model of Health by the ministry of medical services in the month of May. Dr. Lugan, Kerstin Heimel (manager with B Braun), and Dr. Patricia Odero of GIZ Health Sector Programme then presided over the graduation of the 45 QPSS graduands. The key message was to ‘always practice, teach and propagate the message of quality and to focus on using attained knowledge in actual change initiatives at their workplaces’.

Dr. Lugan also visited the Nairobi women’s Hospital (NWH), on tour of an implemented quality transfer project by participants attending the QPSS Programme. Ms. Eunice Munyingi, a Nurse Manager at NWH, gave a summary of the project where they worked towards reducing turn-around time on discharge and at the casualty departments. Overall projected cost savings to the hospital, on implementation of recommended changes, to reduce turn-around time, would amount to ksh 600,000 per year! Dr. Thenya, Chief Executive officer, at the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, was greatly impressed by the fact that knowledge gained by the QPSS graduands was translated into a quality improving and cost saving measures within such a short time of attending the QPSS training. He expressed willingness to support the team implement suggested operational and managerial changes.

During the short tour, Dr. Lugan also met the GIZ Country Director, Mr. Hendrik Linneweber albeit for a brief courtesy call at the country offices. Dr. Linneweber indicated that Kenya’s future and investment potential was great, and that B Braun Melsungen was welcome for further collaborative initiatives in the areas of medical devices.

Dr. Lugan then paid a courtesy call on the Director of Public Health and Sanitation, Dr Sharif, and Dr Mogoa, the Deputy Director of Medical Services. Discussions focused on regulatory processes within the Kenyan medical devices sector, the importance of developing standards to allow for quality device usage in health care delivery, and the role of the B Braun – GIZ PPP in this process. Dr. Shariff indicated that the Ministry of Public Health would offer all necessary support in facilitating processes under this initiative. He also pointed at an expanding East African Market in so far as pharmaceutical & medical devices sector investments were concerned. Dr. Mogoa noted that the Medical Services Ministry was keen to support the process of development of specifications for medical devices. He noted that this was an important process, but which needed financial support. He welcomed and expressed the ministries need for support by GIZ, through the B. Braun PPP.