Health professionals from Sierra Leone today visited the Medicines Depot (MSD) with the aim of learning and exchanging experiences on Supply, Storage, Operations, Procurement, Customer Service, Policy, Quality Control, as well as other matters related to the supply chain of health products.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health when welcoming the delegation to the country, the Chief Government Pharmacist Daudi Msasi, said the arrival of the visitors is a sign that as a country we have improved and strengthened our Depot in the provision of services, which is why others are coming to learn.

He said Tanzania is ready to provide sufficient cooperation for the broader interests of the people of Africa.

“If you see someone who has analyzed various countries, and came to learn from Tanzania, it means we are doing well and that is why our brothers chose to come here to learn, so it is a serious visit that has been led by the Chief Physician of their country”.

MSD CEO Mavere Tukai noted that due to operational changes, MSD has continued to attract many to come and learn and strengthen the healthcare supply chain in their countries.

“We remember Sierra Leone is a country that was devastated by peace problems that destroyed the entire health system and now they have woken up and shaken themselves up and restarted their health system and now they have come here to learn how we do our jobs.

He said that one of the things that impressed them the most was the innovation that MSD has had in carrying out their activities of producing, purchasing, maintaining and distributing medicines but also the financial sustainability along with the use of IT.

He also added that through the visit, they discussed how the Sierra Leone Drug Depot can collaborate with other stakeholders within and outside the government, including connecting their systems with various departments, such as finance, personnel, customers, and the country's ministry of health, in order to have a stable and sustainable supply chain of health products.

On the other hand, one of the leaders accompanying the delegation, who is the Chief Pharmacist of Sierra Leone Dr. Moses Batema, said before the visit they had done enough research and saw that the place to go and learn was Tanzania so they were satisfied with the discussions they had but they also learned a lot which will help them improve their Depot.

The delegation from Sierra Leone who is in the country for a 4-day visit, under the host of MSD, includes the Chief Medical Officer (Ministry of Health SL), Chief Pharmacist (WAF-SL), Chairman of the Board of the NMSA Institute which has the functions of MSD, Director General NMSA, Registrar of the Board of Pharmacists (SL), Head of Supply (WAF SL), Director of Procurement (NMSA), Director of Supply (NMSA), some staff from Global Fund and UNFPA from SL