19 Nov 2024

Medical supplies by national health facilities from the Central Medical Stores (CMS) take approximately 72 hours to reach various districts, according to officials. 

Briefing Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Modise and the Assistant Minister, Mr Lawrence Ookeditse, Acting Director of Medical Supplies and Logistics, Ms Keletso Israel explained that the pharmaceutical industry operated on a production cycle that occured  twice a year, at the beginning and middle of the year.

“It is crucial for us to plan and ensure that our requirements are included in the production plan, as obtaining medication once supplies are depleted can be challenging,” Ms Israel stated during a recent tour of CMS.

She emphasised that seasonal diseases and outbreaks sometimes necessitate urgent acquisitions, adding to the complexity of their operations.

To keep districts informed, Ms Israel said they shared weekly updates, referred to as ‘situation in the warehouse reports,’ detailing incoming supplies.

This, she said,  allowed districts and major hospitals to understand available medications and better plan their orders.

In cases where a product has not been available for an extended period, CMS utilises a ‘push’ strategy, sending out consignments without the need for specific requests from health facilities.

Ms Malindi Moagi, the Acting General Manager of Warehousing, noted that their physical processes aligned closely with the digital ordering system.

Health facilities place orders every fortnight, with scheduled deliveries typically arriving within 72 hours.

Emergency orders, however, she said could be expedited and delivered within 24 hours.

“Our ordering schedule is communicated well in advance, and if facilities encounter issues such as internet or fax problems, we accommodate them to ensure they can still place orders,” Ms Moagi said.

Upon receiving consignments, laboratory technicians and pharmacists work together to verify the accuracy of the order, checking for quantity, batch numbers, and expiry dates. Recipients have a week to reconcile their deliveries with their original orders.

Additionally, she said CMS was proactive in managing expired medications, providing detailed reports on their value and the specific items removed from active inventory. Expired items are temporarily stored in an off-site warehouse before being sent for destruction. ENDS