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.
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
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
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