29 Apr 2014

Botswana Couriers and Logistics will start to provide warehousing and distribution of medicines and other medical commodities on behalf of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and its medical supplies arm, Central Medical Stores (CMS) this Friday, May 2.

The three-year contract, signed on April 29, was intended to improve drug availability and safety at government health facilities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, MoH deputy permanent secretary-corporate services, Ms Ontlametse Mokopakgosi said the ministry had had challenges of warehousing and distribution of drugs, hence the decision to outsource the service.

She also said outsourcing the service meant there would be fewer customer complaints about non-availability of drugs at clinics and hospitals.

CMS manager, Mr Farook Chohan said the partnership would improve efficiency and service levels within the organisation’s warehouse and distribution functions to ensure the security of commodities and medicines.

He said Botswana Couriers would be responsible for managing all CMS warehousing and distribution activities and for management of existing CMS sites.

He said Botswana Couriers would be delivering to 96 points, which would include hospitals, district warehouses, clinics, health posts, while each District Health Management Team (DHMT) will now be responsible for the distribution of medicines and medical supplies within their own districts

Mr Farook hoped the arrangement would help MoH to reduce order lead times, improve order fill rates and visibility of all inventories in the CMS warehouse at all focal delivery points. ENDS