Tabora SBU was establishedon 1997 and servestwenty-one (21) councils in three regions:Tabora, Katavi, andKigoma.It is located in Tabora Municipal, Tabora region. The SBU serves 769 Health Facilities, ranging from Dispensaries to Referral Hospitals. These facilities include Government facilities and Faith-Based Organizations. Some of these facilities receive funds from the government on quarterly disbursements through MSD accounts, while others use their own sources to procure health commodities from MSD. Tabora SBU has forty-one (41) staff. The volume of SBU activities has increased due to the number of facilities and the expansion and renovation of health facilities. This has increased the volume and variety of commodity demand, increasing SBU warehousing and distribution activities. As narrated above, the redesigned ILS system has increased the workload and demand for additional staff in sales, warehouse, Customer services, Data clerk/records, and drivers.

Like other zones, the Tabora zone operates under the Directorate of Logistics and Operations (DLO). In the financial year 2013/2014, it was transformed into Strategic Business Unit (SBU).  Several drivers led MSD to transform 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 facility needs and branching out, and the urge to achieve an optimal match between strategy and structure.

Tabora SBUStrategicallyintended;                                   

To facilitate the smooth flow of health commodities from suppliers, Central to Tabora zones, and finally distribution to health facilities, zonal supply chain management was developed to ensure that all principles and necessary information flows, such as the flow of funds, the flow of 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 ensuring these conditions helps protect product quality and conserve resources.

Tabora Zone stores medicines, medical supplies, and laboratory reagents in strategically located warehouses in Malabi, Mpela Tabora municipal.

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

Distribution Coverage 

Tabora Zone distributes health products to the Western zone regions of Tanzania. It has 21 Councils with 769 health facilities, ranging from Referral Hospitals to Dispensaries. The zone implements six direct delivery cycles to all 769 Health Facilities in all 21 Councils.

Customer engagement  

Tabora SBU has a significant customer base. It has well-trained and supportive staff to deliver a high standard level of service to all its segmented customers. The customers have been segmented into two groups; 

1. Corporate customers include Designated Referral Hospitals and Regional Referral Hospitals.

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

Customer Feedback and Complaints Handling

Tabora 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 convenience. Also, Tabora Zone has opened different communication platforms, like WhatsApp, to bring together customers.  

Corporate Social Responsibility

Tabora 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 tie in with our operation. We work closely with the community to maintain social services and return surplus to our community.