Medical Stores Department (MSD) has emerged as a key driver of transformation in ensuring the availability of essential health commodities across Tanzania by embracing data-driven forecasting and modern supply planning systems.
According to MSD Data Analyst Godfrey Kingalu, the transformation lies in a new bottom-up quantification approach, where health facilities themselves initiate the forecasting process.
“Our clients — dispensaries, health centers, and hospitals — now prepare their own forecasts of products they will need for the upcoming financial year,” Kingalu explains.
These facility-level forecasts are then reviewed by district health teams to ensure they align with local priorities. The district review involves experts such as laboratory technicians, medical officers, and pharmacists.
Once approved, the plans move up to the regional level for further scrutiny before being submitted to the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) for smaller hospitals and the Ministry of Health for larger ones.
At the national stage, the National Quantification Team (NQT), under the Prime Minister’s Office, which is a consortium of specialists from both ministries (PRO-LARG and MOH) consolidates all submissions into a single national forecast.
Specialists from regional and referral hospitals with unique needs also take part to ensure their requirements are considered.
“After the national forecast is approved, it is signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and sent to MSD to prepare the supply plan,” Kingalu says.
The supply plan is a crucial tool guiding what products are procured first, what stock is already available, and how long existing supplies will last.
This enables MSD to anticipate gaps and respond proactively. “By having a clear picture of actual demand, we reduce delays and stock-outs that were previously common,” Kingalu notes.
Digital systems driving change
A major driver of this success is technology. The entire quantification process is now managed through the Electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS), which gathers data from facilities all the way to the ministries.
From there, MSD uses an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to create the national supply plan.
“These systems have significantly improved product availability, and complaints about shortages have decreased considerably,” Kingalu affirms.
However, challenges remain, particularly around data quality. Incomplete or inconsistent data often hampers accurate planning.
“This is both a challenge and an opportunity. It calls for innovators to build platforms that allow health workers to input information directly, generating accurate and timely data,” Kingalu says.
A shared vision for integrated systems
Kingalu emphasizes that MSD’s direction aligns with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision of integrated health systems.
“The President’s dream is to see Electronic Medical Records (EMR), eLMIS, and ERP connected. Once this happens, patient information will be accessible from the moment they enter a facility until they leave. It will be a game-changer,” he stresses.
These reforms are more than technical fixes — they represent a cultural shift in how Tanzania manages its healthcare supply chain.
By involving health facilities directly and grounding decisions in data, MSD is strengthening accountability and restoring trust in public institutions.
“Ultimately, our goal is to build a highly efficient system where every health facility receives the products they need on time,” Kingalu concludes. “With integrated systems, Tanzania’s healthcare services will reach new levels of quality and reliability.”
In a sector where availability of medicines can mean the difference between life and death, MSD’s transformation is proof that with data, technology, and collaboration, public institutions can become pillars of national progress.
MSD’s trucks transit medical supplies to the healthcare facilities found in remote locations.
