The National Medical Stores (NMS) plays a central role in strengthening Uganda’s healthcare system by supporting health facilities across the country. Beyond supplying medicines and health products, NMS works to ensure that facilities have the skills, systems, and technical support required to manage resources effectively.
Our approach focuses on assessing needs accurately, providing technical support, and investing in capacity building and mentorship for health workers. This holistic support ensures that the medicines and supplies we deliver are used efficiently and reach the people who need them most.
Capacity Building & Mentorship
NMS recognizes that effective health service delivery depends on the skills and commitment of facility staff. We therefore prioritize capacity building and mentorship as a core component of our support:
- Training Workshops: Practical sessions on inventory management, storage standards, reporting systems, and accountability.
- On-site Mentorship: Continuous guidance to staff at health facilities, ensuring knowledge is applied in real settings.
- System Strengthening: Introducing and supporting the use of digital tools like the Customer Self-Service Portal (CSSP) to improve ordering and reporting.
- Professional Development: Supporting health workers to keep pace with evolving standards in supply chain and pharmaceutical management.
This investment in human capacity ensures that health facilities are not only stocked with medicines, but also capable of managing them effectively, transparently, and sustainably.
Advocacy & Policy Support
Through our active engagement in national forums and technical working groups, NMS contributes to shaping health supply chain policies that are evidence-based and sustainable. Our role includes:
- Advocating for efficient funding and resource allocation for the public health supply chain.
- Supporting policies that prioritize equitable distribution of medicines, especially for underserved areas.
- Promoting local pharmaceutical manufacturing and BUBU (Buy Uganda Build Uganda) initiatives to strengthen national resilience.
Building Trust Through Engagement
These partnerships and engagements have enabled NMS to:
- Respond more effectively to emergencies and disease outbreaks.
- Ensure a transparent procurement process trusted by suppliers and development partners.
- Maintain close working relationships with health facilities, ensuring services meet real-world needs.
Through collaboration at every level—national, subnational, and community—NMS strengthens Uganda’s capacity to deliver safe, effective, and reliable health supplies across the country.
Needs Assessment &
Quantification of EMHS
Reliable supply begins with accurate quantification of Essential Medicines and Health Supplies (EMHS). NMS collaborates with health facilities to:
- Conduct needs assessments at facility, district, and national levels.
- Use data-driven tools to forecast medicine and supply requirements.
- Identify seasonal variations and public health priorities that affect demand.
- Engage facility staff in quantification exercises to build ownership and accountability.
By bridging the gap between demand and supply, NMS reduces the risk of medicine stock-outs, expiries, or wastage. These assessments also feed into national procurement planning, aligning resources with Uganda’s health priorities.