Pharmaceutical Services
Central Medical Stores (CMS) is responsible for the supply chain management of all health commodities including medicines in the public sector. The department supports the mission of the Ministry by providing preventative, curative and diagnostic medicines that are of acceptable quality, safe and effective. The main objective of central medical stores is to ensure a regular uninterrupted equitable supply of quality medicines and medical supplies to the health facilities thus ensuring that the general Swazi population can access these commodities.
Achievements
Mentorship and Supportive Supervisory Visits of Health Facilities: CMS conducted mentorship and supportive supervisory visits in 40 health facilities in the Lubombo and Hhohho regions and 36 health facilities in the Manzini and Shiselweni regions. These visits were conducted in partnership development partners and the RHMT (clinic supervisors) in these regions and with the support of MSH/SIAPS. The goal of these visits was to monitor the interventions implemented to strengthen pharmaceutical systems in health facilities in the country. Specifically the objectives of these visits were to assess pharmaceutical products and services situation in health facilities, identify possible gaps in the management of pharmaceuticals at the facilities, support the interventions aimed at addressing any identified gaps.
Insulation Project of the Central Medical Stores: The Central Medical Stores had a challenge with maintaining appropriate temperatures for medicines due to constant break-down of the cooling system. An insulation project was commissioned through Micro-Projects and it was completed in May 2015.
Distribution Fleet Management System: The Central Medical Stores managed to conduct a pilot of a fleet management system using 6 distribution vehicles and the results include; reduced fuel consumption, improved availability of the distribution vehicles and bottlenecks that the department has to improve on have also been identified. Furthermore, a tender has been advertised for a fleet management system to be installed in distribution vehicles in 2016.
Data Verification and Mentorship Visits: The Central Medical Stores (CMS) through its Data Management Unit (DMU) managed to verify LMIS data for ART, TB, and SRH between May and June 2015. Data was verified for the second quarter of 2015, i.e. May-June 2015. A total of 44 health facilities received verification and on site mentorship visit from CMS for all three mentioned programmes. The findings were also disseminated to health workers.
Increase the capacity of MoH staff on Quantification and Forecasting: The Ministry conducted a workshop for all health workers who are involved the forecasting and quantification of health commodities. Management Sciences for Health (MSH) provided the facilitators and during the first week of October 2015.
List of Tracer Drugs Finalized: The list of Tracer medicines was finalised and shared with partners. Tracer medicines are used to generate quantitative information on the performance or desired outcomes of the Ministry of Health. They are mainly used to measure availability of medicines.