Supply Chain

  • Open Access
    Local Sourcing and Supplier Development in Global Health: Analysis of the Supply Chain Management System's Local Procurement in 4 Countries
    Prashant Yadav, Sarah Alphs, Clinton D'Souza, Gordon Comstock and Iain Barton
    Global Health: Science and Practice October 2018, 6(3):574-583; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-18-00083

    Local suppliers reported that after doing business with PEPFAR's global procurement and distribution project for essential HIV/AIDS medicines and supplies, they achieved revenue and asset growth, improved their quality standards, acquired new contracts with other businesses, and hired more employees.

  • Open Access
    More Than Bar Codes: Integrating Global Standards-Based Bar Code Technology Into National Health Information Systems in Ethiopia and Pakistan to Increase End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility
    Liuichi Hara, Ramy Guirguis, Keith Hummel and Monica Villanueva
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2017, 5(4):678-685; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-16-00350

    Bar codes can help track and trace health products in the supply chain. But to do so efficiently, they should be based on global standards rather than a proprietary system, and the captured data should be integrated into national health information systems to achieve end-to-end data visibility.

  • Open Access
    Upgrading Supply Chain Management Systems to Improve Availability of Medicines in Tanzania: Evaluation of Performance and Cost Effects
    Marasi Mwencha, James E Rosen, Cary Spisak, Noel Watson, Noela Kisoka and Happiness Mberesero
    Global Health: Science and Practice September 2017, 5(3):399-411; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-16-00395

    Investments in a national logistics management unit and electronic logistics management information system resulted in better data use and improvements in some, but not all, management practices. After 1 year, key improvements included reduced stock-out rates, stock-out duration, and expiry rates. Although the upgraded systems were not inexpensive, they contributed to greater system efficiency and generated modest savings that defrayed much of the investment and maintenance costs.

  • Open Access
    Moving Medicine, Moving Minds: Helping Developing Countries Overcome Barriers to Outsourcing Health Commodity Distribution to Boost Supply Chain Performance and Strengthen Health Systems
    Priya Agrawal, Iain Barton, Roberto Dal Bianco, Dana Hovig, David Sarley and Prashant Yadav
    Global Health: Science and Practice September 2016, 4(3):359-365; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-16-00130

    Senegal and other developing countries are improving access to health commodities by outsourcing supply chain logistics to private providers. To achieve broader, lasting reform, we must support further adoption of the outsourced model; assist country-led cost-benefit analyses; and help governments build capacity to manage contracts and overcome other barriers.

  • A stewardship approach to shaping the future of public health supply chain systems
    Alan Bornbusch, Todd Dickens, Carolyn Hart and Chris Wright
    Global Health: Science and Practice December 2014, 2(4):403-409; https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-14-00123

    Guiding Principles: (1) Governments should see themselves as stewards of supply chains, providing vision, guidance, and oversight, not necessarily as operators of supply chains. (2) Governments should not be afraid to leverage the multiple supply chain actors and diverse options available; these can be woven into a coherent, integrated system, providing flexibility and reducing risk. (3) Governments will need new skills in leadership, regulation, market research, contract design, oversight of outsourced providers, financial analysis, and alliance-building.

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