South Sudan

The South Sudan public health supply system for pharmaceuticals and related medical supplies currently has many vertical systems, all running independently with no involvement from the Ministry of Health (MOH). Each system is led by a donor organization that has employed either a foreign contracting organization and/or local implementing partners to move product from point of entry into the country down to the health facility level. All vertical systems have developed their own methods for warehousing and distribution, independent of the MOH system.

The MOH aims to integrate these vertical health supply chains and develop the supply chain from the bottom-up, enabling more cooperation and coordination among donors and implementing partners to move toward a more sustainable and integrated supply chain – one in which the MOH plays a leading role. The USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project will take a measured approach to integration, seeking ways to enable central-level authorities to assume more control of the supply chain, helping them to better use data for decision-making, and re-establishing their coordinating role through entities like the Pharmaceutical Technical Working Group (PTWG) and the Logistics Management Unit (LMU).

The overall goal is to improve product availability and stock status of key commodities within the HIV/AIDS, malaria, and reproductive health programs, focusing on collecting key data to support proper allocation to health facilities as well as nationwide quantification and procurement. Where possible, GHSC-PSM also will work to strengthen systems and human capacity at the county and local levels while adhering to all USAID guidelines and U.S. government laws pertaining to development assistance.

Key activities in South Sudan include:

• Conduct a stock survey, gathering baseline data on stock status of selected commodities, advising on possible changes to inventory control, and providing guidance on national quantification and procurement planning with donors
• Provide support to the LMU in its role as an information clearinghouse for the supply chain and of advising the PTWG; provide logistical support to reinstate and revitalize the PTWG
• Improve the functionality and usefulness of the supply chain dashboard for reporting, first improving the process for HIV/AIDs commodities and then expanding to malaria commodities
• Based on survey findings and operations research, make needed adjustments to existing forms, tools, and training for record-keeping and inventory control at health facilities
• Improve family planning commodity forecasting, supply planning, and integration of ordering/warehousing and distribution to ensure contraceptive security

GHSC-PSM in South Sudan is exploring ways to improve stock status and product availability through vendor-managed inventory, leveraging implementing partner resources and capabilities.