At NMS, research and innovation are central to strengthening Uganda’s public health supply chain. By combining robust systems, cutting-edge technology, and continuous feedback from health facilities, we ensure that medicines and health supplies are delivered efficiently, reliably, and transparently.
Operational Research Initiatives
NMS uses the MACS Warehouse Management System (WMS) — a highly functional and flexible platform that ensures accurate computerized stock quantity and location control. This system supports Order processing (health facility budgets, budget-holder to product relationships, etc.), Goods receipt, put away, movements, and picking (including “blind-picking”) and Packing and dispatch management.
With inbuilt Radio Frequency capability and a Journey Planning Module, MACS allows orders to be assembled precisely for each delivery journey. NMS also continuously evaluates warehouse performance. Our modern 7,200sqm warehouse at Entebbe provides a hub for orderly receipt, storage, and packing of supplies destined to more than 2,953 Government of Uganda health facilities.
Evidence-Based Improvements in
Service Delivery
Findings from operational research directly inform improvements in how NMS serves the health sector. Key outcomes include:
- Door-to-door deliveries every two months to all government and accredited facilities, following predetermined schedules.
- A system for processing emergency orders within hours, ensuring critical health supplies reach facilities without delay.
- Real-time delivery updates accessible through our online delivery monitoring application, enabling transparency for hospitals, health centers, and district health officials.
To maximize efficiency, NMS operates two warehouse shifts daily (8am–5pm and 8pm–5am, Monday to Friday), with operations extending to weekends and public holidays when needed. For hospitals, NMS vehicles deliver directly every month. For lower health facilities, deliveries are made to the District Health Office (DHO) premises, from where private providers handle last-mile delivery under the supervision of district, local, and security officials.
Customer Engagement & Feedback Integration
Operational innovation at NMS is complemented by active customer feedback systems. We maintain:
- Regional customer care offices in nine regions to keep close contact with clients.
- An SMS short code (6090) through which the public can send free messages regarding deliveries or complaints.
- Active social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter/X) that disseminate updates and allow for direct engagement.
Feedback collected from these channels is analyzed and integrated into continuous improvements in distribution, warehouse management, and customer support.