Guyana Ministry of Health shares lessons learned in warehouse management system success with Rwanda’s CAMERWA

In Rwanda, the newly modernized operations at the Centrale d’Achate Medicaments Essentiels du Rwanda (CAMERWA) –which operates the national medical stores and has sole responsibility for procurement, storage and distribution of ARVs– have been drawing attention. To improve their storage operations, CAMERWA has been searching for an appropriate computerized warehouse management system (WMS).

In October, SCMS successfully implemented a WMS by the UK-based MACS Software for the Ministry of Health Materials Management Unit (MMU) warehouse in Guyana. After hearing positive feedback about the Guyana warehouse, Ambassador Zephyr Mutanguha, Director General of CAMERWA, paid a visit Guyana to view the MACS system in action and learn from Guyana’s experience. The trip was facilitated by SCMS with full support from the Global Fund.

The team from CAMERWA met with members of the Ministry of Health, including Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, to discuss collaboration and share information. One of CAMERWA's objectives was to learn how the MACS system interfaces with different warehouse, inventory management, reporting and financial systems. SCMS demonstrated the Guyana Internet-based Combined Requisition Issue Voucher (CRIV) application, which interfaces with the MACS System.

Based on the visit, CAMERWA has decided to proceed with implementation of the MACS WMS for their operations. Furthermore, after touring the Mini Lab post for testing quality assurance of drugs received at the Central Medical Warehouse at the MMU complex, CAMERWA also expressed interest in exploring the possibility of SCMS technical assistance for the implementation of a Mini-Lab post at CAMERWA.

For more information on the visit contact Lead Resident Advisor in Guyana, San San Min (smin@gy.pfscm.org), or Caroline Healey (chealey@rw.pfscm.org), Lead Resident Advisor in Rwanda.