Where We Work | Program
Nouvelle Génération des Chaînes d’Approvisionnement (NGCA)
In 2015, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health commissioned VillageReach and the World Bank, with financial support from Gavi, to assess the supply chains challenges in two remote provinces, Equateur and Tshuapa. This led to the NGCA program.
Four lessons learned for optimizing health products delivery to hard-to-reach locations
After more than four years’ experience of managing the vaccine supply chain in the Equateur province of northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it is high time for us to consider the lessons we have learned in optimizing the distribution of health products to...
Trois Missions dans un Voyage de Distribution des Produits de Santé
Introduction Après plus de 4 ans d’expérience dans la chaine d’approvisionnement des vaccins dans la province de l’Equateur au nord-ouest de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC), il est plus que temps de savoir comment optimiser la distribution des produits de santé pour la...
Trois Missions dans un Voyage de Distribution des Produits de Santé
Introduction Après plus de 4 ans d’expérience dans la chaine d’approvisionnement des vaccins dans la province de l’Equateur au nord-ouest de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC), il est plus que temps de savoir comment optimiser la distribution des produits de santé pour la...
All in One Boat
Transporting vaccines, essential and generic medicines and family planning products in separate shipments when they are all going to the same health facility is an inefficient use of precious resources. An integrated system for delivering products to the last mile has been developed and...
DRC Vaccine Hero: Jean Louis Esanzo
Jean Louis Esanzo, is the Superintendent Nurse at the Konongo Health Center, in the Mankanza health district of Equateur province, DRC. Konongo Health Center supplies vaccines and essential medicines for many surrounding villages. However, the only way to get vaccines to Konongo from the...
On Road and River: Distributions begin in DRC
I am proud to announce that last month a team composed of provincial government and VillageReach staff successfully conducted the first direct distribution of vaccines and family planning commodities in the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Under the Next Generation Supply...
Collaboration: The Key to Successful Supply Chain Transformation in DRC
At the 2017 African Union Summit, Heads of State endorsed the Addis Declaration on Immunization, which demonstrates convincing political support to improve equitable access to vaccines. Now countries must embrace the hard work required to deliver immunizations and other health commodities to all citizens....Background
The findings of supply chain assessments led to the launch of Nouvelle Génération des Chaînes d’Approvisionnement (NGCA), or New Generation of Supply Chains in English in 2017 in Equatuer province, one of the hardest to reach provinces in the country. This initiative with catalytic funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation enabled system design and modeling work in Equateur province – developing the evidence needed to begin implementing creative solutions. By testing solutions in one of the most remote provinces first the supply chain design could then be adapted to other provinces throughout DRC. Today NGCA continues to build an integrated system of delivering products to the last mile. The program reaches 56 districts across six provinces across the country.
How It Works
- Direct distribution of vaccines (from the provincial warehouse to the health facility) as well as adaptations of supply chain design (i.e., distribution frequency and quantity)\
- Data collection during the distribution to reduce stock outs and waste
- Supportive supervision and on-site training for supply chain managers
- Empowering supply chain champions at provincial and national levels
Resources
Optimized Supply Chain Model Reduces Health System Costs in DRC
Increasing Access to Health Products in the DRC
The potential of next-generation supply chains to ease DRC’s “Casse-tête”
DRC Supply Chain Assessment (English)
Program Impact
The NGCA Initiative boosts Equateur’s health system by reducing stockouts, overall supply chain costs (by 34 percent), transport costs (at the health zone and service delivery level decreased by 40 percent) and increasing consumption of routine vaccine doses.
Partners
Government
- The DRC Ministry of Health
Technical Partners
- WHO
- PATH
- SANRU
Donors
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Project de Développement du Système de Santé (PDSS)– consolidates resources from:
- World Bank
- Global Fund
- Gavi
- UNFPA
- UNICEF
- USAID
Related Global Impact
See the latest updates from our work to improve access to quality healthcare in the world’s most underserved communities.