• The Central Procurement Office for Medicines (CAMME) finalized the national installation of mSupply software across all healthcare facilities.
• The system enhances drug stock management, traceability, and supply planning, aiming to reduce stockouts and medication losses.
  
  

Djibouti's Central Procurement Office for Medicines and Essential Supplies (CAMME) announced Monday, April 21, the completion of the mSupply software installation across all healthcare facilities nationwide. This milestone represents a significant advancement in the digitization of Djibouti’s health system, an initiative that began in 2022 with technical and financial support from partners, most notably the World Bank.

"Thanks to our management system, stock levels, drug traceability, and supply planning are now optimized, thereby strengthening the efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness of the national pharmaceutical system," CAMME stated.

This modernization effort addresses several key strategic challenges, including preventing stockouts, minimizing losses from expired medications, ensuring the efficient distribution of essential medicines, and securing the tracking of health product flows from the central procurement office to healthcare facilities.

The mSupply software, already utilized in approximately 30 countries globally, has demonstrated its effectiveness, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Its implementation in Djibouti is a component of the 2023–2027 National Pharmaceutical Policy rollout. This policy aims to sustainably improve access to essential medicines while guaranteeing their quality, traceability, and availability. The initiative is part of the broader Health System Strengthening Project, financed by the World Bank and underway since February 2023, with the overarching goal of ensuring improved healthcare access for the entire population.

As numerous African nations increasingly adopt digitization to modernize their healthcare systems, Djibouti is underscoring its ambition to leverage technology as a strategic tool for enhancing health system efficiency and ensuring the continuous availability of essential medicines.

By Samira Njoya,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji