The verdict in three sentences
A chief pharmacist at a 200-bed facility in Ouagadougou who manages stock with ledgers and spreadsheets loses tens of millions of FCFA every year to expiries, stock-outs and untracked issues. Dispensing software adapted to the Burkinabe context costs 8 to 20 million FCFA excluding VAT (about EUR 12,200 to 30,500), with patient-level dispensing, batch and expiry date management, preparation of CAMEG orders and offline operation. Cutting losses by 20 to 30% is enough to pay it back in roughly two years.
The real cost of a ledger-run pharmacy
In hospitals and clinics in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, the same issues recur: power cuts, unstable connectivity, supply dependent on CAMEG (the national essential generic medicines purchasing agency) and wholesaler lead times, staff turnover. Without batch traceability, products close to expiry are not issued first and stock-outs are discovered at the counter.
| Annual item (200 beds, 2026 order of magnitude) | Ledger management | With dispensing software |
|---|---|---|
| Annual medicines and consumables budget | 400,000,000 FCFA | 400,000,000 FCFA |
| Expiry losses | 4% (16,000,000 FCFA) | 2.5 to 3% (10 to 12 M FCFA) |
| Untracked issues or inventory gaps | 3% (12,000,000 FCFA) | 1 to 1.5% (4 to 6 M FCFA) |
| Emergency purchases outside CAMEG (25 to 40% premium) | 6,000,000 FCFA | 2,500,000 FCFA |
| Stock-out days on the 50 critical molecules | 35 to 60 a year | 8 to 15 a year |
| Quarterly inventory duration | 4 days | 1 day |
| Time to prepare a CAMEG order | 2 days | 3 hours |
On this basis, cumulative losses fall from about 34 million to 17 to 21 million FCFA, saving 13 to 17 million FCFA (EUR 20,000 to 26,000) a year.
Modules and budget
| Module | Features | Indicative budget excl. VAT | Expected gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formulary and batch stock | INN, forms, batches, expiry dates, locations | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA | Inventory 4 times faster |
| Patient-level dispensing | Prescription per patient, ward, dose checks | 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA | Full patient traceability |
| Expiry and threshold alerts | FEFO issuing, alerts at 90 and 30 days, minimum stock | 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA | 20 to 30% fewer expiries |
| CAMEG and supplier orders | Needs calculation, purchase orders, receiving | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA | Fewer emergency purchases |
| Offline mode and sync | Runs without internet, UPS, local backup | 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA | No downtime during outages |
| Dashboards and billing | Consumption by ward, valuation, cashier and insurer links | 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA | Reliable monthly steering |
| Total | Live in 3 to 5 months | 8,000,000 to 20,000,000 FCFA | 13 to 17 M FCFA saved per year |
Also plan for a local server or mini-PC with UPS (600,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA), training for pharmacy technicians (2 to 3 days) and annual maintenance of 15% of the initial budget.
Payment and project terms
Private facilities generally pay in three instalments (40% on order, 40% on acceptance, 20% after one month in production), by bank transfer, Orange Money or Moov Money. For a public hospital, the project follows public procurement rules, with tender documents specifying health data hosting and reversibility.
Mini case study
Dr Aminata Ouédraogo, chief pharmacist of a 200-bed clinic in Ouagadougou, orders software for 14,000,000 FCFA excluding VAT, plus 2,100,000 FCFA in annual maintenance. Before the project, her losses (expiries, gaps, emergency purchases) reached 34,000,000 FCFA a year. After 12 months they fall to 25,000,000 FCFA, a 26% drop. Net gain in year one: 34 - 25 - 2.1 = 6.9 million FCFA, then about 9 million in following years once the team is fully trained. Estimated payback between 18 and 24 months, not counting avoided stock-outs on antibiotics and IV fluids.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
Does the software work during internet outages?
Yes, the application runs on a local server and keeps dispensing without a connection. Sync with the remote backup happens as soon as the network returns, usually in under 5 minutes.
Can our existing stock be migrated?
A full initial inventory is required, with batches and expiry dates recorded. For 1,500 items, allow 3 to 5 days with two technicians and barcode scanners at 60,000 FCFA each.
Does the software generate CAMEG orders?
It calculates needs from average consumption and safety stock, then produces the purchase order in the expected format. Preparation drops from 2 days to about 3 hours.
Do we need a full-time IT person?
No, a contact person trained for 2 days is enough for a 200-bed facility. Remote maintenance covers updates and support, for about 15% of the initial budget per year.
Can the software be extended to other sites?
Yes, a multi-site architecture can manage a central store and several ward pharmacies. Each additional site generally costs 1.5 to 3 million FCFA excluding VAT.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your bed count, active items and organisation and we will price dispensing software between 8 and 20 million FCFA excluding VAT, deployed in 3 to 5 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
