In 2003, in the midst of a global health crisis, the United States Government (USG) established the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). On the African continent alone, some 30 million people were infected with HIV, but only 50,000 had access to treatment. Patients were dying at alarming rates, and the cost to treat a single patient was up to $10,000 per year.
Read MoreIn the midst of the global AIDS crisis, many of the hardest-hit countries lacked the public health supply chain infrastructure to rapidly and effectively respond. Systems were challenged by frequent stockouts, overstocks, expiries, and wastage. Through PEPFAR, under USAID leadership, SCMS was established to provide life saving ARVs to patients.
Read MoreTo meet the needs of the millions living with HIV/AIDS, we knew we had to do more than shore up the basic foundations of physical, organizational, and human infrastructure. Modern technologies, breakthroughs in procurement and pricing, and structural innovations were needed to create new models of development that could successfully address public health supply chain challenges. Ingenuity would be key to overcoming development roadblocks.
Read MoreSCMS implements innovative strategies and approaches to generate efficiencies all along the supply chain. As fundamental systems are strengthened to be more effective, cost savings are being leveraged to increase the funding available to treat more patients.
Read MoreFor 10 years, SCMS has been working closely with in-country partners, providing customized, hands-on technical assistance to help them achieve their supply chain goals.
Read MoreAt SCMS, we see developing countries’ increasing economic growth, expanding political leadership, and growing private sectors as opportunities to move beyond traditional training and capacity-building models that focus heavily on the public sector. In response, we are creating innovative programs to strengthen both public- and private-sector supply chains.
Read MoreWe live in a volatile world. The movement of goods by air, ocean, and road is in constant danger of disruption, whether due to political strife, industrious criminal elements, natural disasters, labor disputes, or simple accidents. For people with HIV, daily doses of medication and routine testing are lifelong necessities. Their commodities must be continuously available, no matter what. SCMS places a high priority on security of supply. In the face of unprecedented security challenges, the agility, flexibility, and resilience of SCMS’s supply chain has enabled us to deliver health care commodities and ensure that quality drugs reach the right hands: those of waiting patients.
Read MoreWinning the global fight against HIV/AIDS requires the close collaboration of many stakeholders. The SCMS project structure, approaches, and every facet of the project’s mission depend on these partnerships. We work within this complex network of local and global players to share market knowledge, supply chain expertise, best practices, and lessons learned to increase the impact of health interventions and reach more people.
Read MoreFor the last 10 years, on behalf of the USG, SCMS has successfully operated the largest public heath supply chain in the world. Today, SCMS procures more than 70% of all ARVs directly funded by PEPFAR.
Read MoreWhen SCMS began 10 years ago, PEPFAR lacked the luxury of time. The needs of patients suffering from HIV required immediate scale-up of the largest public health supply chain project in the world. We would have to build the ship while sailing.
With the support of the USG and the project’s many partners in-country and around the world, SCMS has achieved many milestones on the road to providing a safe, reliable supply of treatment to patients in need.
