Government to focus on sustainable availability of essential medicines and supplies for all Ugandans.

Government to focus on sustainable availability of essential medicines and supplies for all Ugandans.

While launching the 10-year National roadmap to improve the country’s Health supply chain, the Government of Uganda targeted its improvements on easy access and sustained availability of essential medicines and health supplies country wide.

This roadmap that lays out a blue print for the government to plan, facilitate, finance and effectively manage the National Health Supply chain, was developed with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the USAID-funded Uganda Strengthening Supply Chain Systems (SSCS) Activity implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and partners; Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), and Uganda Healthcare Federation (UHF) in close collaboration with several government agencies This supply chain roadmap that comprises of eight themes including Health commodities supply chain management, Health supply chain Information systems, Human Resources for Health supply chain, Health Commodities Infrastructure, warehousing, storage, and distribution will seek to increase visibility of national health commodities and supplies, real-time availability of stock status in the national system, and increased commodity security and safety. This roadmap that was launched today at Sheraton Hotel Kampala also comprises of other themes like quality assurance and waste management for Health commodities, Public-Private partnerships for Health supply chain, Health supply chain resources, mobilization and financing plus the Health Supply Chain Policy and Governance. “Through this roadmap, the government will strategically take on interventions that bring the country closer to its vision of self-reliance consistent with the Uganda Vision 2040” the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja said emphasizing that the Office of the Prime Minister will coordinate and implement it across various ministries, departments and agencies. This roadmap that will enhance adequate supply chain specialist staffing, electricity supply and access to internet connection to all health facilities in the country to enable complete digitization of the national health supply chain system has an estimated budget of approximately USD 5,701million within the first year and an incremental requirement of up to USD 44.8million over 10 years. On behalf of USAID, the mission Director USAID/Uganda Mr. Richard Nelson said that they are thrilled to see this launch that will increase access to medicines for all Ugandans and the United States Government is strongly committed to strengthening Uganda’s pharmaceutical supply chain. This roadmap’s development process that was both collaborative and consultative involved various Ministries, Departments, Agencies and other development partners was led by the National Health Supply Chain inter-ministerial task force.