Through the implementation of its mission which is ‘To make available at all times medicines and medical supplies of acceptable quality at affordable prices to all Tanzanians’, the Medical Stores Department (MSD) through its Medium Term Strategic Plan (MTSP II) 2014-2020 which was reviewed in 2017, established Community Medical shops – MSD Community Outlets (MCO’s).

Strategically, MCOs are planned to expand MSD functionality in a bid to improve health services delivery and enhance accessibility of medicines and medical supplies closer to people in the community. The MCOs offer a variety of medicines through both retail and wholesale at the cost the community can afford.

Currently, MSD has 4 MCOs located strategically in, the New Forest area in Mbeya adjacent to Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital, Chato District Hospital in Geita, Ruangwa District Hospital in Lindi, and Mpanda District Hospital in Katavi.

The Outlets operate seven days a week, offering generic and branded medicines registered and approved by Tanzania Medicine & Medical Devices Authority (TMDA). Members of the National Health Insurance Fund enjoy super services at these shops. On top of this, MCOs use revolving funds to generate cash to meet operational costs. MCOs are not profit-generating points but are purely service providers.