KAMPALA – Joint Medical Store (JMS ) working in corroboration with Ministry of Health and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have launched an integrated online ordering system for private not for profit health facilities.
While launching this digital tool in Kampala on Monday, Dr. Charles Olaro , Director curative services at Ministry of Health, commended JMS team for their innovatiness which has enabled them to come up with a system aimed at promoting accountability and timely supplies within all health care sector country wide.
“The system is going to streamline the ordering system as we shift from manual to digital system for easy tracking of orders and supplies. With this , we shall be in position to prevent cases of over stocking and drugs from expiring in stock.”
Olaro also added that since the order forms can be filled offline, it will be utilized by even health facilities in hard to reach areas because they will be in position to make their orders offline and send them upon connecting to the Internet.
“All commodities can be tallied with number of patients or people who have been able to turn up for specific services or medicines. It will help us to track the most preferred measures of family planning to avoid wastage of resources in the procurement process.”
He further added that information gathered through this system, it will guide the Ministry of Health and government in their planning processes.
Dr. Bildard Baguma, the Executive Director of Joint Medical Store revealed that the “JMS integrated Ordering System” will be used by their clients whom they have been supplying commodities from Government of Uganda, development partners like UNFPA, USAID and Global Fund.
“Before this, it has been manual or paper based system where facilities had to fill in forms, sign , stamp, scan them and send them to jms. Upon receiving them, we enter them in our online system , process the orders and send them back.” Remarked Baguma
He pointed out that with this new online system, orders are going to be processed faster than before thus saving time and money.
“The digital system will help us to quantify, plan properly and know what item is needed thus making the whole distribution process more cheaper on top of reducing on stock out in most of the health facilities. We have learnt of a facility here in Wakiso district where staff have been filling forms manually and later on look for transport to take them to place with internet café so as to send their orders to us.”
He further added that the JMS integrated Ordering system has a provision where the user can fill the forms offline and later on send it to JMS upon connecting to the internet.
UNFPA country representative in Uganda Gift Malunga revealed that this system is going to solve most of the problems within the distribution channel of the health sector through a number of ways.
“We work closely with Joint Medical Store and Minsitry of Health to support procurement of reproductive health commodities including contraceptives. We have been experiencing stock outs and expiring of commodities in some health facilities which we think that with this innovation, they are going to be no more.”
She further added that working with other partners, they are going to train health care providers on how to effectively use the system.
