May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Improving Health Outcomes through Professionalizing the Management of Public Health Supply Chains Tracey Brett Head of Procurement and Logistics Marie Stopes International

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Purpose  Highlight the impact on health outcomes caused by poor management of public health supply chains  Describe a new initiative to improve professionalization of supply chain management  Request your support

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Importance of Supply Chains  Health programs require health supplies  Health supplies must reach service points and clients through long and complex supply chains  Weaknesses in the supply chain result in health supply shortages  Supply shortages are widely recognized as a significant limiter of health outcomes

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Case Study: Zambia  Drugs availability: –~ 40% in control districts –~ 80% in trial districts Potential Impact from Scale-up:  Child mortality from malaria could be cut by up to 37%  27,000 additional children could be saved by 2015 Source:  Pilot study in Zambia - strengthened supply chain staff at processes at central and district level in trial districts  Found immediate and dramatic impact on child mortality

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Central Medical Stores Health Clinic Community Based Distributor (CBD) Intermediate Warehouse Warehouse Report & Order Logistics Management & Pipeline Report LOGISTICS INFORMATION FLOW SUPPLIES FLOW Health Clinic Report & Order Report of Community Based Distributor Adapted from: USAID | DELIVER PROJECT Supply Chains are People Chains Central Stores Manager Clinic Pharmacist or Nurse Community Health Worker Warehouse Manager CLIENTS Leadership

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Challenge Underper- forming health programs and unachieved health goals Poor availability of health commodities at facilities, wasted resources Unqualified and disempowered staff managing public health supply chains Supply chains poorly managed and insufficiently resourced

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala What does Professionalization of Supply Chain Management mean?  Recognition that supply chains are critical components of public health systems, whose management requires specific competencies  Recruitment and retention of appropriately qualified supply chain managers  Availability of broadly recognized certifications and pre-service training in public health supply chain management

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Systems Strengthening WG  Workstream: Professional Development of Public Health Supply Chain Managers created in 2008  Promotes professionalization of supply chain management  Seeks to build engage broad array of health programs and organizations for aligned, integrated approach  Includes several non-RHSC members  Seeks additional involvement from RHSC members

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Objectives  Recognition among key international and national agencies that: –strong supply chain performance is requisite for positive health outcomes –supply chains are complex systems whose management requires significant technical and managerial capacity  Harmonization across agencies on required competencies, certifications, and pre-service programs for supply chain management  Governments and national institutions demand technically qualified staff for positions with supply chain management responsibilities  Governments and national institutions provide supply chain managers with appropriate career tracks, support and incentives  Cadres of qualified, professional supply chain managers working at national and sub-national levels

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Approach  Involve a broad array of key stakeholders  Promote harmonization of approaches across health programs and health organizations at different levels  Promote professionalization that acknowledges and accommodates the diversity of roles that individuals who manage supply chain may have

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Activities  Conduct advocacy to promote professionalization within public health organizations  Foster alignment of donors, multilateral organizations, technical agencies and governments on required competencies and certification and pre-service training programs  Publish White Paper on RHSC approach (December 2009)  Develop online searchable database of professional development opportunities for supply chain management

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Harmonization & Advocacy Process  Stakeholder consultations  Global positioning meeting with policymakers from government and international organizations to seek buy in on need for professionalization and agreement to align approaches  Technical committee develops recommended key competencies and strategy for certification and pre-service programs  Policy committee provides guidance, approves recommendations, promotes implementation in-country

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala Benefits  Higher profile for supply chain managers within organizations, enabling good supply chain policy-making and decision-making  Cadres of qualified, professional supply chain managers working in public health institutions at national and sub-national levels  Greater recognition of supply chains as a critical strategic component of effective health systems

May 28, 2010Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Membership Meeting, Kampala What can you do?  Engage with us: –Provide feedback today –Join the workstream –Help us with our advocacy effort –Attend the global positioning meeting in early 2011  me or  Advocate within your organization to support professionalization  Participate the RHSC process to unite & align our approach to professionalization White Paper Link: or google “professionalizing supply chain management”