The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has, in partnership with Ministry of Health Uganda, introduced the digital solutions for medicine stock management.
The initiative, according to officials from the world agency and the Ministry of Health, is meant to improve on the medicine stock management and accountability in health centers.
The 800,000 dollar project is being co funded by the UNCDF and funding from the Swedish government’s International Corporate Development Agency. The pilot study will start from Northern Uganda and Kiryandongo health center two and three for a period of 3 years centering on constant and required drug availability and medical access.
The Director Health services in charge of clinical services at the Ministry of Health Dr. Charles Olaro said at the launch of the project in Kampala on Tuesday that the digitalizing the health sector has been long overdue and will rectify the existing stock anomalies.
“This digital solution will simplify procedures; enhance transparency and accountability in an efficient and cost effective manner.
He added that the project also aimed at improving access to healthcare in rural communities will finally address drug under stocking.
“Health sector suffers commodity accountability or stock management. I served for many years as Regional Referral Hospital Director and experienced that at times a facility is overstocked while the neighbor is under stocked,” he added.
Meanwhile the Digital Transformation expert with the United Nations Capital Development Fund Julio Milikane said that the project is shifting the management of inventory of drug supplies from the people based to electronic management.
“It is no longer going to be paper based but the data and the movement of all drugs and supplies will be directly entered into the digital system,” he said.
