Medical Stores

MSL serves as Zambia's central medical store and is the source for all drug supplies in the country. Connectivity is its life-blood. Public health systems require dependable and responsive connections at all points-between decisionmakers and funders, caregivers and patients, and especially distributors and facilities. Thanks to a newly implemented... electronic logistics management system (eLMIS) in Zambia, the public health system's connectivity has improved in life-changing ways. The eLMIS increases access to data on stock consumption and stock availability at health facilities and MSL. Previously, the country used a paper-based system to manage healthcare commodities, but the eLMIS has completely changed the way data is processed. The eLMIS in Zambia includes a facility edition, which automates daily logistics transactions at the service delivery points; and a central edition, which captures data from reports and requisitions that facilities submit every month. Strengthening the connection between these two levels has allowed for decentralized data management at the district level. By increasing data visibility, users from the top to the bottom of the supply chain are empowered to make data-based decisions about their stock management. More importantly, by replacing the paper-based system with the eLMIS, there are fewer errors, shorter lead times between when reports are delivered to and processed by MSL, and faster approvals on orders to ensure that orders reach health facilities in record time. This more responsive data management system is increasing commodity availability at the facilities; it stands poised to have a major impact on health outcomes for Zambians. Before the eLMIS was installed, when MSL received a report from one of the districts, data specialists would process it and assess refill quantities based on the commodity status in the MSL warehouse. Because the logistics management unit (LMU) at MSL receives reports from more than 2,000 health facilities every month, paper-based order processing ...Read More