ERIC MURINGU
Summary
Pharmaceutical Expert with significant experience in the supply chain and quality assurance with a thorough understanding of the Model Quality Assurance Systems (MQAS), Quality Management Systems (QMS), Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GDSP) and the regulatory environment for Kenya and the neighbouring region. Passionate about quality and safety of medication in humanitarian initiatives and beyond. Demonstrates planning and organizational skills, with ability to manage and facilitate multiple tasks, as well as working with multicultural teams. In the process of completing a thesis for the degree of MSc. Health Economics and Policy.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Pharmacy Unit
UN Migration (IOM)
01.2025 - Current
- Quality assurance of the pharmacy store according to ISO standards and WHO GSDP and Pharmacy and Poisons Board guidelines.
- Forecasting and quantification of vaccines, medical supplies and drugs for refugee programs at the clinic and the field camps.
- Maintaining cold chain the regional hub cold storage, ensuring optimal functionality of cold storage, contingency equipment through calibration, maintenance, validation and temperature monitoring.
- Importation of vaccines for the regional hub through the UNICEF pooled frame agreements and re-exportation to the countries in the region.
- Inventory management, receipt, quality checks, issuing and client management, disposal of expiries
Medical Quality Assurance Officer
International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC)
01.2022 - 12.2024
- Creation of product specifications in response to field requests, market research, sample validation, item code creation and manufacture link creation for domestic purchase while maintaining an approved list of suppliers.
- Ensuring the Logistics Support Centre’s compliance to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board requirements including imports and exports of medical supplies.
- Participating in the implementation of Good Distribution Practices (GDP) in the Logistics Support Centre.
- Qualification and Validation activities of the medical warehouse and equipment- cold room, freezers and fridges.
- Handling of supply chain complaints and deviations including cold chain deviations.
- Manage records/documentation related to GDP and quality of healthcare goods, as defined in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS).
- Supporting the Medical Warehouse QA Officer in quality control at reception while offering technical guidance where required.
- Participating in planning and providing GDP training of staff involved in the medical supply chain.
- Ensuring the timely update of the relevant information in the ERP database.
- Donation of medical items to beneficiary organizations in compliance with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board guidelines and expanding the list of beneficiaries to ensure minimal wastage of inventory.
- Facilitating and participating in the organization of inspections/audit visits of manufacturers and other suppliers to conform to good distribution practices.
Quality Assurance Pharmacist
Centrale Humanitaire Médico-Pharmaceutique (CHMP)
09.2021 - 12.2021
- As the quality guarantor of all warehouse items: monitor temperature and do data analysis, ensure maintenance of the cold chain, oversee management of the quarantine area, scheduling and conducting QC analysis of pharmaceutical samples for prequalification and routine QC, ensure GDP and MQAS are well respected in stock and warehouse management, ensure documentation of daily inventory movement records, coordinating pest control measures, and evaluation of all received goods by Certificate of Analysis.
- Assisting the QA Pharmacist in ensuring continued risk assessment and process audits for improvement.
- Product sourcing and qualification: Assist in the scheduling, conducting and follow-up of GSDP audits on suppliers.
- Processing exportation of controlled drugs by applying for export permits and filing quarterly returns of narcotics in compliance with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB).
- Review and updating of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline processes and eliminate potential risks internally.
- Responsible for the project that saw to inclusion of all product details on the enterprise resource planning software (ERP), Sage.
- Inventory management; control of all commodities and including controlled medicines, coordinating routine and annual stock take, organizing for destruction of expired supplies.
- Eliminating the risk of substandard and falsified medical product by instituting controls for receiving pharmaceutical commodities.
- Handling all non-conformities falling out of procedures instituted by International Organization Standardization and Model Quality Assurance Systems (MQAS).
- Ing custody of all Correcting and Preventive measures monitoring till closure.
- Quality documentation: Develop, implement and review required standard operating procedures.
- Handling quality concerns; recording, analyzing, investigating, reporting and resolving all customer quality complaints.
- Pharmacist in charge of staff pharmacy.
Senior Pharmacist
Isiolo County Referral Hospital
Isiolo
08.2020 - 02.2021
- Set up a functioning COVID-19 isolation pharmacy, prepared the formulary, created SOPs and lead in capacity building of 30 staff members with the latest management guidelines and commodity management.
- Assisted the county health management team in responding to the needs of the isolation center through forecasting, quantifying and ordering of COVID-19 medical supplies for the 30-bed isolation facility.
- Created SOPs and lead in capacity building of 30 staff members and kept them appraised with the latest COVID-19 management guidelines through Continuous Medical Education.
- Reviewed and checked for correctness of written prescriptions against the indications in terms of dose, strength, route, expiry and saw to the proper dispensing.
- Ensured proper inventory management of drugs and supplies, storage and handling and regular documentation to keep up to date records.
- Maintained strict control over usage of controlled drugs through documentation and keeping them under lock and key.
FIP Project Coordinator
Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique (FIP)
10.2019 - 02.2020
- Alongside colleagues from across Africa, I contributed to the FIP Pharmacy Education in SubSaharan Africa Report. The report describes the most pressing healthcare, health workforce and pharmaceutical education needs in sub-Saharan Africa and provides recommendations towards achieving universal health coverage.
- Compiled quarterly reports of milestones covered and budgets expended for the UKAID funded project Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education Innovation and Reform (SPHEIR). The intended to make the undergraduate Pharmacy Curriculum in Kenya a competency based one.
- Coordinated and convened workshops and quarterly review meetings between five local SPHEIR partners and the lead partner Nottingham University.
Head of Programs and Operations
Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
03.2018 - 07.2020
- Headed all organizational and administrative operations including events, annual conferences, educational meetings, fundraising activities and internal operations.
- Through programmatic planning I reduced overall administration inefficiencies by introducing online membership renewals and issuance of digital membership certificates. This saw an increase in membership by 40%, 10% of which was reactivation of dormant members.
- Doubled the number the attendance of the annual symposium in year and increased and diversified sponsorship partners to include non-traditional sponsors like financial institutions.
- As a member of Ministry of Health technical working group, I worked with the USAID funded MTaPS Project and Ministry of Health partners to deliver the first edition of Antimicrobial Stewardship guidelines.
Program Manager, Advocacy
Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
03.2018 - 07.2020
- Managed the advocacy process to input best practice into the Kenya Food & Drugs Authority Bill, now at the National Assembly for second reading. The project which was funded by Business Advocacy Fund, brought together stakeholders in food industry, agriculture and health sector.
- Managed the process of developing a policy position on medical cannabis decriminalization and legalization in Kenya. This project was funded by Business Advocacy Fund and looked at the best practice around the world and values & preferences in 8 Kenyan counties.
- Managed the data collection by mystery shoppers in 5 major Kenyan towns for research to make a case for self-regulation of the practice of pharmacy in Kenya.
- Managed an advocacy budget of KES. 11M per annum and did quarterly reports to our funding partners for evaluation.
- Drew service level agreements, recruited and contracted consultants for projects and monitored progress according to terms of reference and performed monitoring and evaluation.
Pharmacist Intern
Ministry of Health
07.2016 - 07.2017
- Oversight of organizational compliance with current guidelines of Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Distribution Practice, drug regulatory affairs and drug safety.
- Diagnosed and managed simple infections, prepared extemporaneous preparations and counselled patients on medication use and adherence.
- Conducted Inventory and commodity cycle management, team leadership for the pharmacy staff, dispensed medications, cared for RVD patients in the Comprehensive Care Clinic.
Education
MSc. - Health Economics and Policy
University of Nairobi
12.2025
Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) - undefined
Kenyatta University
01.2015
Leadership Experience
- Patron, Kenya Pharmacy Students Association (KePhSA), 2020-06-01, 2025-01-31
- Speaker of Congress, Kenyatta University Students Association (KUSA), 2013-01-01, 2014-12-31
- Congressman, School of Medicine, 2013-01-01, 2014-12-31
- Chairman, Electoral Commission for Pharmacy Students Association, 2013-01-01, 2013-12-31
- Vice Chairman, Kenyatta University Christian Union, 2012-01-01, 2013-12-31
Publications
- Scoping of pharmacists’ health leadership training needs for effective antimicrobial stewardship in Africa, https://sciprofiles.com/publication/view/62b5474a22603d3afe6a09b51496527b
- Scoping Review of National Antimicrobial Stewardship Activities in Eight African Countries and Adaptable Recommendations, https://sciprofiles.com/publication/view/fa1f29b3ab8688fc5aa4c53602481a53
- Exploring the Antimicrobial Stewardship Educational Needs of Healthcare Students and the Potential of an Antimicrobial Prescribing App as an Educational Tool in Selected African Countries, https://sciprofiles.com/publication/view/1eeafc00b62a43efb837ad287a3780ee
Timeline
Head of Pharmacy Unit
UN Migration (IOM)
01.2025 - Current
Medical Quality Assurance Officer
International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC)
01.2022 - 12.2024
Quality Assurance Pharmacist
Centrale Humanitaire Médico-Pharmaceutique (CHMP)
09.2021 - 12.2021
Senior Pharmacist
Isiolo County Referral Hospital
08.2020 - 02.2021
FIP Project Coordinator
Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique (FIP)
10.2019 - 02.2020
Head of Programs and Operations
Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
03.2018 - 07.2020
Program Manager, Advocacy
Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
03.2018 - 07.2020
Pharmacist Intern
Ministry of Health
07.2016 - 07.2017
MSc. - Health Economics and Policy
University of Nairobi
Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) - undefined
Kenyatta University