MSD Procures Medicines, Medical Supplies, and Laboratory Reagents on behalf of Public Health Facilities. It also procures vertical programs, health commodities, and private health facilities approved by the Ministry of Health. As a core business, Procurement procedures are laid under the Public Procurement Act of 2023, as amended in 2024. MSD is the largest importer, of which 80% of medicines, 90% of medical supplies, and 100% of laboratory supplies are imported from different countries worldwide. Since 2017, MSD has procured its medicines and medical supplies directly from manufacturers instead of suppliers to ensure the availability of medicines and lower the medicine prices by half a quarter for some medicines, from which most prices were before.

MSD continues collaborating with the private sector to open local manufacturing industries as provided in the Public-Private Partnership Act of 2010. MSD envisages that this will enable the country to source essential medicines and medical supplies locally and, therefore, reduce importation costs, lead time, and storage costs. Regarding quality, MSD procures Medicines, Medical Supplies, and Laboratory reagents that have been approved or fully registered with Tanzania Medicine and Drugs Authority (TMDA). The registration process involves evaluating products for quality, safety, and effectiveness. Each new product from the Manufacturer or supplier has to be approved and registered by the TMDA. Product evaluation looks into all parameters necessary to ensure the product’s quality, safety, efficacy, and stability to ascertain the prescribed shelf life. Packaging and labeling are also other areas that have been critically evaluated.