Kagera SBU was established in 2013 as a sales point under Mwanza SBU and became an independent SBU in 2021. It serves one region (Kagera) and three councils of the Geita region (Mbogwe DC, Chato DC, and Bukombe DC), makingeleven councils. Kagera SBU is in the extreme northwestern corner of Tanzania's mainland.It has thirty-nine (39) staff andserves 469 health facilities in different areas, from dispensaries to zonallevel. These facilities include Government facilities, Faith-Based Organizations, and some private facilities. Some of these facilities are located in Lake Victoria islands. Among these facilities, some receive funds from the government on quarterly disbursement through MSD accounts. In contrast, others use cost-sharing to procure medicines and medical supplies to sustain health commodities. Like other zones, the Kagera zone operates under the Director General (DG). In the financial year 2013/2014, it transformed into a Strategic Business Unit (SBU).

Several factors drive MSD's transformation of zones into Strategic Business Units (SBUs). These include health sector reform, Vertical program logistical integration, the Direct Delivery (DD) system, an increasingly competitive market, MSD's growth in terms of facility needs and branching out, and the urge to achieve an optimal match between strategy and structure.

Kagera SBU Strategically intended;

Zonel supply chain management was developed to facilitate the smooth flow of health commodities from suppliers central to the Kagera zone and distribute them to health facilities. It ensures that all principles and necessary information flows, such as funds, commodities, and reverse logistics, are considered in carrying out its mandates.

Storage of Health Commodities 

Proper storage conditions are vital to ensuring the quality of life-saving health commodities. Product expiration dates are based on adequate storage conditions, and providing these storage conditions helps to protect product quality and save resources.

Kagera Zone stores medicines, medical supplies, and laboratory reagents in its warehouses, which are located strategically at Malahala in Muleba District. The storage facilities are approximately 2,700 square meters.

The Kagera zone adopted the Epicor-10 system to address storage challenges in picking, receiving, and dispatching items. Implementing warehousing activities using the Epicor-10 system has reduced the warehouse staff's tremendous workload by providing customers multiple options for transacting items within and out of the warehouse while maintaining data and inventory accuracy and speed.

Distribution Coverage 

Kagera zone distributes health products to the Kagera region and three councils of the Geita region (Chato DC, Bukombe DC, and Mbogwe DC), covering a total distance of about 11,236 kilometers. The Kagera zone has 11 districts and 469 health facilities, ranging from Zonal Hospitals to Dispensaries. It implements the six direct delivery cycles in all 469 Health Facilities in 11 districts.

Customer engagement  

Kagera SBU has a significant customer base. Its well-trained and supportive staff delivers high-standard service to all its segmented customers, divided into two groups. 

1. Corporate customers include Chato Zonal Referral Hospital and Bukoba Referral Hospital.

2. Non-corporate customers include Primary Health Facilities (Dispensaries, Health Centers), Faith Based Health Facilities, and District Hospitals registered by PO-RALG;

Customer Feedback and Complaints Handling

Kagera SBU welcomes opinions and feedback to improve our services. Customer opinions and feedback are treated with the utmost confidentiality and used for the intended purpose only. Customers can share their views and feedback through a letter, suggestion box, e-mail, telephone, website, physical visit, or any other means of customer convenience. Also, Kagera zone has opened different communication platforms, such as WhatsApp, to bring customers together by sharing different information. 

Corporate Social Responsibility

Kagera Zone remains committed to its role as a responsible corporate citizen towards its stakeholders and the communities within which it operates. Over the years, we have contributed significantly to initiatives that benefit disadvantaged communities and are linked to our operation. We work closely with the community to maintain social services and return the surplus to our community.