[e-drug] Demand chain management (3)

e-drug
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E-DRUG: Demand chain management (3)
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Dear E-druggers,

Demand chain management in Resource-limited environments, how appropriate?

Development of demand chain management as a broad concept is long over-due. The potential for cost-savings and impact on National Drugs/Medicines Budget could be revolutionary if applied whole-sale i.e. will lead to more efficient procurement processes, reduced cost of product attrition (expiries, damages, misapplication etc), and reduced cost of warehousing and other inventory-associated administrative and logistics' costs. And by implication, re-direction of, and application of such savings/gains to other priority developmental foci.

But in resource-constrained environments, achieving this goal will be problematic due to inadequate human resource capacity, paradoxical environmental influences (i.e. Transparency/corruption index, deficient educational/managerial and other skills, including insufficient leveraging of IT as a resource-tool) but most of all political will.

I dare-say a variant of "demand-chain management" (can also be termed "just-in-time") is practiced to some extent here in Botswana but studies will need to be commissioned to establish the effectiveness, transparency and benefits vis-à-vis alternatives.

Potentially, "demand-chain management" as a concept/strategy is expected to be more effective in resolving contemporary challenges of provision of services within healthcare programs in developing countries if adequately resourced and managed.

Regards,

Olusegun Omojuwa
Senior Pharmacist
Central Medical Stores
MOH,
Botswana
oomojuwa@gov.bw

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E-DRUG: Demand chain management (4)
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Dear E-druggers,

I agree with Olusegun on the appropriateness of demand chain in resource limited settings, particularly taking into account the fact that a push system tends to be intensive in terms of the logistics involved and is limited with regards to capacity building for management of medicines and related commodities on the side of the beneficiaries.

I feel that in order to obtain the maximum benefit from demand chain management it is important that systems such as a strong LMIS and a managerial body either from the Ministry of health or medical stores (depending on the country situation) are put in place so that the health facility needs can be better articulated.

Regards

Chengetanai T. Mangoro
Project Officer
UNICEF, 6 Fairbridge Ave, Belgravia,
P.O. Box 1250, Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263-4-703941/2
Fax: +263-4-731849