Zambia's health care sector is undertaking digital transformation with the goal of reducing drug theft at public health institutions.

This will be achieved through a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Technology and Science, and the Presidential Delivery Unit.

The cooperation, which culminated in the launch of the Pharmaceutical Commodity Track and Trade Digital System, aims to provide online tracking and monitoring of medications from procurement to consumption stages.

With the health ministry fully digitised, it is expected that pharmaceuticals would be monitored online, making it easy to determine the amount of stock accessible at each health center.

Overall, the partners have committed to ensure that digitisation enhances efficiency and transparency in the health-care system.

The Health Permanent Secretary, Dr Kennedy Lishimpi, stated that medical records, human resources, and procurement are being digitised.

"Digitising health services will also help in identifying levels of human resource in the ministry," he said at an event hosted by technology startup Verotrace Zambia.

The public health care industry in the Southern African country has faced significant issues in recent years, most notably a shortage of vital medications.