Continuing the Discussion on Achieving Excellence in the Supply Chain Workforce
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people in low- and middle-income countries on antiretroviral therapy increased from under one million in 2002 to over six million in 2010. This represents enormous success in expanding access to therapy. It also represents the increasing amount of medicines and other supplies that must be procured, transported, stored, and administered to patients through public health supply chains.
A variety of health workers contribute to the supply chain—from supply chain managers to pharmacists, nurses, doctors, and other clinical and nonclinical workers—and they play a vital role in achieving global and country health goals, including the Millennium Development Goals for combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.
How can countries ensure a competent and empowered supply chain workforce that can meet growing demands, and how can they learn from countries already tackling complex supply chain challenges?
CapacityPlus hosted a satellite event, Achieving Excellence in the Supply Chain Workforce: The People that Deliver Global Partnership, at the XIX International AIDS Conference. The event highlighted the efforts of the People that Deliver global partnership, a global coalition working to improve the health supply chain workforce in developing countries. This initiative is based on global recognition that without trained professionals to manage the health supply chains, drugs and other supplies do not reach the patients who need them.
A panel of experts in health workforce and supply chain management discussed strengthening and professionalizing the supply chain workforce. Pape Gaye, president and CEO of IntraHealth International, CapacityPlus lead partner, provided an introduction and moderated the event. CapacityPlus’s Rebecca Bailey presented on the role of the supply chain workforce in health service delivery, the current status and challenges of the supply chain workforce, and government response.
Benoît Silve of Institut Bioforce, and chair of the People that Deliver Board, presented on The People that Deliver Initiative, including its mission, progress, and plans for moving forward. Other panelists highlighted actions underway at the country level to map out and move toward sustainable excellence in the supply chain workforce in Burkina Faso, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
A rich question and answer session between participants and panelists followed. A recording of the entire event is now available for country leaders and others to learn from. Join CapacityPlus, the panelists, and the People that Deliver initiative to expand the scope of the discussion and contribute to strengthening the supply chain health workforce! We welcome your comments as well as suggestions for how to continue the conversation.
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Photo by Carol Bales. (Dr. Arsène Ouedraogo presentating on the supply chain workforce in Burkina Faso)
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