Mulago Hospital has computerized the medicines and clinical supplies monitoring system, to deal with drug stock-outs and expiries.
The supply-chain monitoring system, Intelligent Integrated Computer System (IICS), records the trade-name of each item, its batch number, and expiry date as well as the quantity purchased. This data is fed into the system, and when the items are shelved in the Central Pharmacy, their locations are also given codes, which are also fed into the monitoring system. In turn, it becomes easier for heads of clinics and pharmacists to check for what is in stock, and also make their orders online, in time.
The hospital facility stocks about 1700 items, including drugs and other supplies like syringes and gloves in its central pharmacy. All these used to be monitored manually and recorded in books. According to David Nuwamanya, the Assistant Commissioner for the hospital, only a few people used to know the records of these items.
Mr. Silver Kiyimba of IICS Technologies, the company which set up the system, explains how easily the system works.
//Cue in: “You don’t have to leave your station…
Cue out: ….consolidated that one into one item.”//
The system works with wireless internet connection, with different routers placed in different pharmacies and stores across the hospital facility.
The National Referral Hospital has been using the digital system for four months, and Margaret Mirembe, one of the Stores’ Assistants at the Central Pharmacy, describes her work-station as piles of confusing carton boxes of medicines, equipment and clinical supplies, before the digital system came into place. She explains how easy her work is now.
//Cue in: “Certain things used to expire….
Cue out:….order in small quantities.”//
When Uganda Radio Network visited the Central Pharmacy and the Bulk Store, all shelves were marked with codes and items labeled with tracking numbers neatly stacked-up on the shelves.
At the Emergency Surgical Ward 3B, Judith Mutetsi, a nurse, says that both tablets and injectibles for her unit now arrive shortly after placing an order.
According to Kiyimba, a survey that was done across the hospital before the system was digitalized found out that personnel would queue for up to four hours at the Central Pharmacy to receive supplies.
The first phase of the system, which took about 17 months to set up, has cost about 500 million Uganda shillings. But Nuwamanya, the Assistant Commissioner, says that the benefits to the facility surpass the cost.
//Cue in: “Previously, making an order…
Cue out….order only what you need.”//
The system has also halved the cost of stationery for the facility, which used to spend about 700 million shillings on the purchase of vouchers, receipts and stock-list forms. The second phase will be rolled out to the management of patients’ data as well as hospital personnel information.
