Pharmacists and store managers are central to drug accountability

COMMENT | SAM OTUKEI | In the fight against medicine stockouts and theft in Uganda’s public health facilities, much attention is rightly given to the supply side—how and when National Medical Stores (NMS) delivers drugs.

But once those deliveries reach a health facility, the responsibility shifts.

At that point, it is the pharmacists and store managers who become the frontline defenders of public health.

Their role in receiving, managing, and tracking medical supplies is critical to ensuring that essential drugs are available when patients need them.

Inventory Management

Every delivery from NMS arrives with a delivery note, matched against an order requisition. A vigilant store manager ensures that these quantities are verified immediately, documented, and stored securely.

Routine stock checks are essential. Daily dispensing logs should be reconciled with physical stock weekly, and comprehensive inventory audits should be conducted monthly. When done correctly, these checks help identify discrepancies early and prevent misuse.

Using tools like stock cards, bin cards, or electronic logistics management systems (eLMIS), pharmacists and store managers can keep accurate records of stock levels, expiry dates, and usage patterns.

Data Should Guide Reordering

Pharmacists are in a position to guide procurement decisions by analyzing consumption trends. If a facility is consistently using up a certain medicine faster than anticipated, this data should inform the next ordering cycle.

Likewise, unusually low consumption of a particular drug may point to underutilization or prescribing gaps. Store managers and pharmacists must flag such anomalies and communicate with District Health Officers or NMS to adjust deliveries accordingly.

All government medicines are embossed with the label “Government of Uganda – Not for Sale.” Yet some drugs still find their way into private markets. This usually happens through small but deliberate leakages from within health facilities.

Pharmacists and store managers must maintain strict controls over access to the medical store. Records should be updated in real time. Any missing stock, expired drugs, or signs of tampering should be reported immediately to the in-charge or authorities.

Facilities that have health unit management committees (HUMCs) should invite them to regularly review stock status and provide an extra layer of oversight.

Public confidence in health facilities increases when communities see that medicines are handled professionally. Simple actions—like displaying recent delivery dates, explaining stock availability, or reporting expired stock disposal—build trust.

In many ways, the store manager’s work is invisible to the public—but its impact is profound.

Through vigilance, accurate reporting, and ethical practice, pharmacists and store managers ensure that every medicine delivered serves the purpose it was intended for: saving lives.

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Sam Outukei is a health worker