INNOVATIVE NEW TELE-MEDICINE INITATIVE SEMA DOC TO BOOST HEATH CARE IN KENYA

The public sector in Kenya will endeavor to enhance access and quality to medical services and is looking to use the private section with the objective of propelling efficiency. The organization has been working through the Ministry of Health and partnering with players in the private section to embrace advancements in e-health.

This has seen the Kenyan Ministry of Health just recently launch Sema Doc. Sema Doc is a well crafted affordable health administration service which can be accessed easily through the use of mobile devices. The application aims to serve a base, 11 million strong in the country. The Ministry of Health has teamed up with Safaricom, CBA and an all inclusive m-Health master association, Hello Doctor to dispatch Sema Doc

The event was administered by Kenya’s First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta who commended the application and the innovative team behind it, saying that it is a trans formative telemedicine application that will enable patients to communicate directly with specialists and get treated quickly.

“This new product will help improve primary healthcare across Kenya, especially in areas where the health centres are under resourced. The most encouraging news about this new healthcare system anchored highly and dependent on mobile telephone accessibility and network an area where Kenya is well defined,” she said

EABL NABS SH12.5 BILLION FUNDING FOR KENYAN PLANT

Standard Bank Group have advanced a long-term loan of Sh12.5 billion (US$125 million) to East African Breweries Limited (EABL) ThopTV APK. These funds will be utilized for the purpose of develop the Senator Keg processing plant in Kisumu. The processing plant is expected to produce 110,000 direct and indirect employments and further the sorghum demand to 40,000 in the following five years from the current figure of 20,000. The company said that Standard Bank will funnel the assets to them through Stanbic Holdings, it’s subsidiary in Kenya.

Diageo, the multinational brewer is known to have a 50.2 percent share in EABL. EABL is also committed to provide up Sh2.5 billion on its own accord as part of the Sh15 billion (US$150 million) funding of the factory. The development of the same is required to be finished by July 2019. “We managed to secure a Sh12.5 billion long-term facility,” said Gyuri Geiszl, EABL’s finance director. “We have just drawn down a small portion, about Sh2 billion, since the project has just started.As we move along, we shall generate the cashflow to fund the remaining portion.”

Stanbic Holdings is noted to be one of EABL’s four main bankers and has funded various other projects that have been capital intensive.They are also known to have worked with Barclays Bank of Kenya, Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank. “Six months ago, we had a couple of ideas of how we were going to fund the Kisumu brewery, but we eventually settled on debt,” Mr Geiszl said without disclosing the options dropped.

JAVA GROUP PLAN SH1BILLLION EXPANSION DRIVE IN EAST AFRICA; KENYA THE FOCUS

Java Group has set out on a development drive this year that will re-affirm their place as Kenya’s number one chain of restaurants. This development drive will see them channel up to Sh 1 billion into their operations in East Africa. Ken Kuguru, Chief Executive of the firm said that the firm would now open new outlets in developing towns and in urban areas in Kenya to produce new income streams and also increase the number of branches in the country over. The firm will likewise plan to make overtures in other East African countries yet the primary focus will stay on Kenya. Java remains Kenya’s biggest restaurant network with 64 branches and is a pioneer in their segment. They are trailed by worldwide players like Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Subway and Art Caffe. KFC as of now has 31 branches in the East African locale, 17 of which are in Kenya, 9 in Uganda and 5 in Tanzania. America fast food chain Subway has 12 branches in the district — eight in Kenya, three in Tanzania and one in Uganda while Art Caffe is spoken to by 12 branches in Kenya. Mr Kuguru told the Business Daily that 80 percent of the company’s development roll will lay an emphasis on Kenya, in the next five years.The five-year plan is assessed to cost around Sh5 billion.

Java Group runs coffee outlets under Java House, owns 360 Degrees Pizza and Planet Yoghurt brand. The 64 branches under the label include 56 coffee outlets. The firm is looking to open at least two outlets of its brands every month.“Java House will invest between Sh500 million to Sh1 billion in new branches as well as advancements in a state-of-the-art central kitchen and commissary facilities,” said Mr Kuguru. Java Group is keen on Meru and Machakos counties, where it will open its first branches of the year. The expansion drive indicates a shift to the counties after the devolved governments were established in 2013.

KENYAN GOVERNMENT TURNS TO AUTOMATION TO MEET MOMBASA PORT’S ADDED DEMANDS

The Government of Kenya has made plans to use more automation services at the Mombasa port in a bid to meet the rising demands at the port. According to statistics from the Kenya Ports of Authority (KPA), the port serviced 17.5 tonnes of cargo in a six month period in 2017. This is a substantial increase from the 15.7 million sum recorded in 2016.

Cabiniet Secretary, James Macharia, said that he expected the port is to receive more cargo, particularly with the burden from neighboring nations. This will make automation key to accomplishing objectives for the port of Mombasa. “We are continuing to implement the Mombasa Port Community Charter devised in 2014. Most important is the automation of services under the Kenya National Single Window System as we anticipate more cargo coming especially directed to our neighbours,” he was cited saying.

Catherine Mturi-Wairi revealed an ascent in export activity to 2,182,232. This number has ascended by 36,094 tons. Import activity additionally recorded a rise of 12.1 percent to 14,803,838 tons from 13,209,720. The expansion was driven by mass items, of the likes of wheat, clinker, palm oil and refined oil based goods. “Handling such quantities needs an efficient and automated cargo handling system. We already have one in place but we will be working with partners like Trade Mark East Africa to improve on it,” said Ms Mturi-Wairi. The automation comes even as the Kenya Shippers Council CEO Gilbert Langat said cargo handling at the port is still slow due to poor systems, calling on KPA to improve it. “Cargo handling operations and poor use of systems are some of the challenges facing cargo movement at the port,” he said.