Resources:

Supply Chain Design: Options to Address Common Challenges

Over the past 20 years, VillageReach has worked with governments to design and implement supply chains that reduce costs and improve product availability without the need for major infrastructure investments. VillageReach has identified five promising design options that address common supply chain challenges, even for the hardest-to-reach communities. Our experience shows that health and EPI programs can implement one or more of these options, tailored to the country context.

CCPF Impact Evaluation

The Malawi Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and VillageReach developed Chipatala cha pa Foni (CCPF) – “Health Center by Phone” – as a community-based hotline in the Balaka district of Malawi. This summary shares the findings of a 2018 impact evaluation of the program.

Learning Network Informant Summary

A summary of interviews with nearly 40 stakeholders that explores practical challenges to government adoption of solutions where sustained impact at scale
requires government ownership, management or operation and gathers input on forming a collaborative network to address these challenges.

M-Vaccin Overview

In Côte d’Ivoire, a public-private partnership called M-Vaccin
planned to use mobile technology to improve vaccine coverage in 50
health districts across the country. The French telecommunications
company Orange, in collaboration with Gavi, the Ministry of Health
and VillageReach, customized an application that uses text and voice
messaging to inform caregivers about the importance of vaccination
and send appointment reminders in local languages.

Malawi Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Toolkit

A guideline for drone service providers and implementers in the development, humanitarian, and research fields.

Goals and Strategies 2020 - 2023

The current articulation (2020-2023) of VillageReach’s mission, goals and strategies.

Supply Chain for Community Health Worker Program (SC4CHW) Overview

VillageReach and Last Mile Health are partnering to strengthen the supply chains that provide medicines to CHWs who bring critical health care services to the hardest-to-reach communities as part of Liberia’s National Community Health Assistant (NCHA) Program.

Drones for Health

VillageReach has partnered with stakeholders at local, regional and global levels since 2015 to explore the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for health. UAS, also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, are being evaluated for integration into health systems alongside traditional land- and water-based modes of transportation. Drones have the potential to improve the availability of health products, increase equity of access and save time and money compared to ground transportation particularly in geographically challenging areas.

OpenLMIS - GAP Project Success Story

OpenLMIS believes in an open source software development philosophy of ‘shared investment, and shared benefit ’ whereby our community of global users are linked through a core code base, and enhancements made by one country can be accessed and used by anyone in the community. To achieve this vision, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Digital Square funded the GAP Project, a 1 year initiative to unify the OpenLMIS codebase.

Rapid Supply Chain Modeling Tool Demo Analysis

This file features a demonstration modeling analysis (using data from a Province in a country in Southern Africa) exploring four different supply chain scenarios as well as the resulting cost implications.

Rapid Supply Chain Modeling Tool

VillageReach, in collaboration with the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI), has worked to develop a highly configurable Excel-based tool that assists governments in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to conduct low-cost, agile cost modeling exercises. With support from the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, VillageReach and WDI have worked together to develop, test and socialize this rapid and flexible cost modeling instrument.

Improved Last Mile Healthcare Delivery

A case study was developed in collaboration with Aeris to look at the impacts of the introduction of a Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) in Tete Province and its role in transport optimization.

Malawi Overview

VillageReach has worked in Malawi since 2008, partnering with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the private sector and other partners to develop and implement high impact solutions. Current programs include Chipatala cha pa Foni (CCPF), the Pharmacy Assistant Training Program, OpenLMIS, and Drones for Health.

Improving Last Mile Supply Chains for Women in Nigeria

In order to support the Kano state government in improving maternal and child health supply chains, MSD for Mothers selected VillageReach to provide its expertise in solving last-mile health care delivery challenges. VillageReach, working with Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), as a primary in-country partner with significant experience in public health service delivery, will help ensure the availability of life-saving maternal and child health commodities in Kano State.

2018 Annual Report

VillageReach’s annual report showcases opportunities and achievements made in 2018 to solve health care delivery challenges in low-resource communities.

SampleTaxi Overview

VillageReach partnered with the Mozambique Ministry of Health (MISAU), and technology provider Logistimo to develop an innovative ridesharing program for lab samples called SampleTaxi. Like Uber has revolutionized ridesharing for passengers, SampleTaxi is helping increase the efficiency and speed of medical specimen delivery in Sofala province, Mozambique, without adding new vehicles to the system.

Health Center by Phone (CCPF) Overview

The Malawi Ministry of Health and Population and VillageReach developed Health Center by Phone as a community-based hotline in the Balaka district of Malawi. Health Center by Phone extends the reach of the health care system to every community by providing access to certified health and nutrition information and services via a toll-free number.

Pharmacy Assistant Training Program Overview

The Pharmacy Assistant (PA) Training Program in Malawi is contributing to a robust pharmaceutical workforce through the introduction of a two-year certificate-level training program focused on improving medicines management and pharmaceutical practice in health centers.

Last Mile Supply Chain Overview

In its efforts to provide quality health services to its citizens,
the Government of Mozambique and USAID have partnered
with VillageReach to design and implement a streamlined
and effective last mile supply chain system. This piece is an overview of the Last Mile Supply Chain (LMSC) program.

Increasing Access to Health Products in the DRC

This document focuses on creating a more efficient, effective and resilient supply chain with the Next Generation Supply Chain Initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It summarizes the five pillars of transformation, the benefits to the health system, and considerations for scaling or adapting the initiative within and beyond Equateur Province.

VillageReach Overview

VillageReach works with governments to solve health care
delivery challenges in low-resource communities. Our
programs increase access to quality health care at the last
mile, or the point at which services are delivered.

Lessons Learned in Reaching the Final 20: Building a Next-Generation Immunization Supply Chain in Mozambique

This report provides a comprehensive overview of VillageReach’s immunization supply chain strengthening work under the Final 20 Project, included lessons learned and other insights for countries looking to move to an updated or “next generation” immunization supply chain.

Portuguese

Finding Efficiencies in Zambia's Immunisation Supply Chain

Vaccines are at the core of Zambia’s efforts to prevent childhood death and illness and move towards prevention rather than treatment of disease. This piece provides an overview of Zambia’s Immunisation Supply Chain and the results of a recent modelling exercise.

Outsourcing Transport to Improve Health at the Last Mile: A Case Study

This case study summarizes the finding from an assessment of the Transport Services Solution (TSS) in Tete province, Mozambique. The case study looks at the specific opportunity for outsourcing and the process that was undertaken to establish this outsourced system. Finally, the case study outlines next steps and considerations for government authorities interested in outsourcing as a way to improve transport for vaccines and other essential medicines.

French          Portuguese

Informed Design: How Modeling Can Provide Insights to Improve Vaccines Supply Chains

Modeling contributes to supply chain improvements by helping define the best solutions to critical supply chain barriers. Models must be adapted to a specific context but, done correctly, provide evidence for the feasibility and impact of potential changes to a supply chain.

The Economics and Operational Value of Using Drones to Transport Vaccines

Immunization programs in low and middle income countries (LMICs) face numerous challenges in getting life-saving vaccines to the people who need them. As unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has progressed in recent years, potential use cases for UAVs have proliferated due to their ability to traverse difficult terrains, reduce labor, and replace fleets of vehicles that require costly maintenance.

OpenLMIS : An Introduction

A brief overview of OpenLMIS, a logistics management information system for medical commodities. OpenLMIS is an open source, web-enabled, enterprise class eLMIS solution. Includes current impact and implementations, and benefits.

Portuguese          French