REGIONAL WAREHOUSE OPERATIONS

CMST has three Regional Medical Stores (RMS), all headed by Managers. These Stores undertake mandatory functions of warehousing and sales and distribution. Procurement is done centrally at the Headquarters.  

Each RMS processes orders for medicines and medical supplies from District Health Offices responsible for district hospitals and health facilities under its charge and Central Hospitals within their Regions of operations.  

The Branches process three kinds of orders:

  • Normal Orders which are processed monthly. Customers have the duty to submit normal orders by the 10th of each month. Distribution by CMST or its contracted firm(s) is currently to the door step of all central hospitals, district hospitals and health centres, within 15 working days from the receipt of the normal orders.
  • Emergency Orders which are processed as and when need arises at the ordering facility.
  • Special Orders for medicines and medical supplies outside CMST normal stock.

Regional Medical Stores (RMS) Centre

RMS Centre is located along Mzimba Street, opposite the Kamuzu College of Nursing, within the CMST Headquarters compound. The RMS has one (1) warehouse, with a total storage space of 543 cubic metres (m3).

With a staff establishment of 24, it serves nine (9) districts namely Kasungu, Ntchisi, Dowa, Mchinji, Lilongwe, Ntcheu, Dedza, Nkhotakota and Salima.

The RMS North serves seven (9) District Hospitals, Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), 241public health centres of which 178 are under Ministry of Health (MOH) and   63 under Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) and about 10 Not-for-Profit health institutions.

All delivery points are serviced by points by road.

Regional Medical Stores (RMS) North

RMS North is located in Luwinga, Mzuzu, near Mzuzu Central Hospital (MZH). The RMS has two (2) warehouses, with a total storage space of 978.54 cubic metres (m3). Of this total, 694.1m3 are pallet positions for the racked areas and 284.5m3 for all non-racked rooms and shelves for both warehouses.

With a staff establishment of 23, it serves six (6) districts namely Mzimba, Nkhata Bay, Rumphi, Chitipa, Likoma and Karonga. Mzimba has two District Hospitals — Mzimba North and Mzimba South — which process orders separately.

The RMS North therefore serves seven (7) District Hospitals, Mzuzu Central Hospital, 98 public health centres, 39 Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) health facilities and five (5) NGO-run health facilities.

All delivery points are serviced by points by road except Likoma DHO, Khondowe and Rwarwe Health Centres on Lake Malawi which are accessed by ship or boat.

 

Regional Medical Stores (RMS) South

RMS South is located in Naperi, Blantyre, behind Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH). The RMS has two (1) warehouse, with a total storage space of 1455 cubic metres (m3). Of this total, 1080m3 are pallet positions for the racked areas and 375m3 for all non-racked spaces.

With a staff establishment of 35, it serves 13 districts namely Blantyre, Balaka, Machinga, Zomba, Mangochi, Thyolo, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mwanza, Neno, Mulanje, Phalombe and Chiradzulu plus three Central Hospitals — Queen Elizabeth (QECH), Zomba Mental (ZMH) and Zomba (ZCH) and 232 public health centres of which 12 are CHAM’s, and 11 NGO-run health facilities.

All delivery points are serviced by points by road.

 

Production Unit

The RMS South has a production unit capable of, in recent times, producing topical preparations and morphine solution.