The National Medical Stores
The Uganda National Medical Stores, commonly referred to as National Medical Stores (NMS), is a government-owned organization in Uganda.National Medical Stores is Mandated to Procure, Stores & Distribute Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies to all Public Health Facilities in the Country. This mandate then grew to serve 100% of government health facilities including the police, army and prisons. In August 2012 this mandate was further expanded to the distribute Vaccines across the country.National Medical stores was established as a Statutory Corporation in 1993 by Act of Parliament, under Chapter 207 of the Laws of Uganda.
Vision
A Population with Adequate and Accessible Quality Medicines and Medical Supplies.
Mission
To effectively and efficiently supply essential medicines and medical supplies to health facilities in Uganda
Mandate
To procure, store and distribute
Core values
1.Customer Focus,
2. Operational Excellence
3. Teamwork,
4. Accountability
5. Integrity
National Medical Stores is Mandated to Procure, Store & Distribute Essential Medicines and Medical Supplies to all Public Health Facilities in the Country. This mandate has grown to serve 100% of Government Health facilities including the Police, Army and Prisons. In August 2012 this mandate was further expanded to the distribute Vaccines across the country.
National Medical Stores (NMS) has enough stock of Medicines and distributes to all Government hospitals and health centers on a routine basis against the orders made to us by health facilities. In order to stop the wanton pilferage of Medicine, NMS leadership has come up with embossment of all medicine. All medicines and medical supplies are now embossed with a seal “UG NOT FOR SALE” to ensure that medicines and medical supplies delivered are not stolen and sold on the open market.
NMS has also come up with the “LAST MILE DELIVERY SYSTEM“ for medicines and other medical supplies to ensure that medical supplies reach the END USER at all government health facilities across the country safe and on time.
In order to use more of user friendly, we publish an Essential Medicines and Health Supplies (EMHS) and Vaccines Delivery Schedules which are intended to make the delivery of medicine predictable throughout the year. This also ensures effective Management of our stock so that health facilities do not run out medicines and other medical supplies.
The Ministry of Health together with NMS and other Stakeholders have made an innovation of a Basic Kit. This contains the basic Medicines that are supplied to all health center II’s and III’s across the country. The kit is revised every year to make it relevant to the local situation and this is done once in every two months to all government health center II’s and III’s. HCIV’s and hospitals submit their medicine orders and these are supplied to them once in two months (Bi- Monthly) as per delivery schedule. Regional Referrals and National referral hospitals and institutes receive their supplies every month. Supplies are made available according to the available budget of each respective health facility.