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Building Local Capacity From Day One: Integrating Logistics Systems Into New Partner Start-up Activities Environment
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The Challenge In the first years of PEPFAR, drug logistics systems were often not taken into consideration at the beginning of project design or implementation. Ad hoc approaches and measures were resorted to by many implementing partners to address breakdowns that occurred. Ad hoc systems were set up to enable each organization to deliver as many supplies as needed to the sites they supported.
Multiple supply chains, often serving the same sites, are inefficient and costly. They also hinder the long-term sustainability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services.
Significant work is needed to integrate these parallel systems, each with its unique design parameters and operating procedures, into a unified HIV/AIDS logistics system. Since early 2008 SCMS has worked in Nigeria with a new PEPFAR implementing partner, Nigerian Indigenous Capacity Building Project (NICaB), to design a logistics system for roll-out in tandem with their ART site activation plan.
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Program Implementation SCMS joined NICaB in assessing ART site capacity to provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS services and to manage the requisite drugs, lab equipment and supplies, and other commodities. After the assessment, we led a system design workshop with NICaB and clinic-based staff. Nigeria’s national HIV/AIDS logistics system features were reviewed and adopted for the NICaB system—allowing harmonization with the national system and customization to meet NICaB’s specific program needs. National system tools, including standard operating procedure manuals, logistics management information system forms, job aids, monitoring and supervision checklists, and a training curriculum, were adapted and used to train personnel and implement the system while NICaB rolled out its support to the first four sites.
NICaB was the first PEPFAR implementing partner in Nigeria to harmonize its supply chain with the national HIV/AIDS commodity logistics system—a critical step in transitioning PEPFAR activities to sustainable national structures.
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Results and OutcomesNICaB is the only implementing partner to undertake the rigorous process of establishing a robust logistics system for the start of its activities while leveraging resources from other programs. NICaB’s willingness to adopt most of the national system design parameters has resulted in established implementing partners requesting SCMS's assistance to harmonize their supply chains with the national system.
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