Procurement and Supply Systems

The focus in Procurement and Supply Systems is on regular availability of affordable and quality essential medicines plays key role in the delivery of health care services. The program supports public procurement and supply agencies to strengthen their capacity and improve efficiency in the procurement and supply management of essential medicines.

Using the regional training manual on management of essential medicines at health centre level, countries have been supported to organize training sessions on effective supply management systems. The revised version of the medicines management training manual will be made available by 2010. The program collaborates with other WHO programs in assisting countries to develop national medicine procurement plans.

National procurement and supply management systems have been assessed and a regional framework to strengthen their capacities in procurement and supply systems was developed in consultation with national authorities and stakeholders. In collaboration with WHO headquarter, comprehensive tools to assess the procurement and supply systems, map financial flow and partners were developed. Using the comprehensive tools, with WHO support, first round of ten countries have undertaken in-depth assessment of their procurement and supply systems, mapped partners and financial flow for essential medicines during the last three years. The program focuses to identify and document best practices in procurement and supply management to strengthen capacities for effective public procurement and supply systems. Local production capacities in the region for essential medicines have been assessed and a regional framework was developed to strengthen local production of essential medicines.