Professionalizing supply chain management

Written by: Kevin Pilz, USAID contractor and Bonnie Keith, RHSC Public-health systems everywhere depend upon reliable and efficient supply of medicines and health commodities to ensure positive health outcomes. Despite this, supply chains in low- and middle-income countries are rarely recognized as critical strategic functions within public-health institutions. As such, it is uncommon for public-health institutions to assign technically qualified personnel to manage supply chains; they are typically managed by clinical staff or pharmacists with no formal education or qualification in supply chain management. Lacking qualifications or strategic authority, supply chain managers are rarely included in policy- and decision-making that impacts supplies. The unfortunate result is poor access to medicines, greater dependence on external technical assistance, reduced human resources available for clinical needs, and poor cost-efficiency of health programs. The status of low- and middle-income country supply chain managers stands in marked contrast to their status in developed countries where supply chain managers must have advanced technical skills and qualifications and are recognized as instrumental to institutional decision-making and success. To respond to this common and systemic weakness of public-health systems in low- and middle-income countries, the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition’s (RHSC) Systems Strengthening Working Group has launched a new workstream to promote the professionalization of public-health supply chain management. Recognizing the systemic nature of the problem, RHSC is proactively engaging and uniting governments and organizations beyond reproductive health and incorporating groups focused on health systems, human resources, vaccines, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other health programs. Objectives of the work stream include: (a) recognition that strong supply chains are essential for positive health outcomes and require significant technical and managerial capacity, (b) demand from governments and national institutions for technically qualified staff in positions with supply chain responsibilities, and (c) availability of persons from relevant health cadres with appropriate certifications in supply chain management competencies. While specific activities associated with the work stream will be determined at a global conference in June 2011 at the World Health Organization (WHO), there are several areas where the joint effort is expected to focus to improve both the supply of and the demand for qualified supply chain managers. These include: * Develop a harmonized competency framework for public-health supply chain management that accommodates the many different personnel roles that exist within a supply chain (modules from the framework would be applicable, for example, to a clinic nurse, a regional warehouse manager, or a chief supply chain officer). * Develop a harmonized accreditation scheme for supply chain management training that would allow international or national educational and training programs (whether for nurses, pharmacists, doctors, or specialized supply chain managers) to certify participants against the harmonized competency framework. * Advocate with national governments and public-health institutions to recruit appropriately qualified personnel for positions with supply chain management responsibilities. * Improve incentives for retention of supply chain managers including developing professional associations, developing peer networks, or strengthening local training and recruitment. Professional supply chain managers—with the necessary training, skills, resources, information, motivation, and empowerment at all levels of the health system—are absolutely vital for meeting current and future challenges in public health. We urge donors, technical agencies, and partners that support public-health programs in low- and middle-income countries to support professionalization of supply chain management by engaging in the initiative and participating in the global conference at WHO in June 2011. To learn more, visit the RHSC website or send an email to: [[email protected]]Kevin Pilz[/email] We invite you to comment on or post a question relating to this article by clicking the “reply” button on this page. You will have to log in or register; the process is very simple. Return to the Optimize newsletter.