Stability in uncertain environments
Securing the supply chain
We 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.
Mozambique | weapons depot explodes, destroys the ministry of health warehouse, 2007
SCMS rented alternative warehousing during reconstruction.
Haiti | hurricanes, earthquake, cholera, 2008–11
Within 48 hours of the earthquake, we were back at the warehouse, identifying supplies for crisis response and shipping emergency kits to hospitals.
Guyana | arsonists burn down the Ministry of Health, 2009
SCMS worked with the MOH to ensure continuous supply and provided temporary storage. Facilitated the building of a new state-of-the-art warehouse.
Iceland | volcanic eruption and ash cloud, 2011
An ash cloud originating in Iceland covered most of Europe and disrupted air travel and shipping for a week. Because we ship so much by ocean, the project’s clients were barely impacted.
Japan | earthquake and tsunami, 2011
All Determine rapid test kits are manufactured in Japan. SCMS avoided major delivery delays.
Nigeria | Fire at the Abuja Local Distribution Center, 2015
Fire gutted a storage chamber, destroying millions in health commodities. SCMS worked with key stakeholders to mobilize replacement commodities and ensure they reached patients on time.
Ghana | fire at the central medical store, 2015
The main building and its contents were a total loss. SCMS made available stores that we had upgraded and occupied previously, which had about 800 usable pallet spaces. Additionally, the Government of Ghana moved its operations to SCMS’s RDC for storage and distribution to ensure continuous supply to patients.
Coast of Somalia | 2005–present
Heightened risk of acts of piracy affects shipping lane security. SCMS actively monitors threats and reroutes shipments as needed.
India Labor Disputes | 2005–present
As a hub for generic ARV production, India’s periodic, short-term labor disputes have caused manufacturers supply chain headaches. The flexibility of SCMS’s supply chain allows us to shift shipping routes as needed to avoid hindering supply.
Côte d’Ivoire | political turmoil, 2011
SCMS continued operations during the crisis, rerouting medicines through Ghana to ensure supply chain integrity.
South Africa | Labor unrest, 2012
The project’s RDC activated a 24/7 security operation at the height of a violent and disruptive industrial action, avoiding the possibility of arson and vandalism.
Central African Republic | civil unrest ongoing
We chartered a European Commission aircraft to deliver urgent medicines from the ocean freight containers that had been stuck in Cameroon as a result of border closures.
DRC | frequent thefts of HIV rapid test kits
We replaced the project’s previous DRC local freight agent with one who has sufficient resources to ensure full custody through arrival to delivery to the client.
Kenya and Uganda | Theft, 2013
SCMS worked with law enforcement in Kenya after a shipment of VMMC kits worth more than $275,000 went missing while en route to Kampala, Uganda. In just a month, we recovered 945 out of 1,002 cartons that were hidden in the outskirts of Nairobi. We redistributed the kits after completing QA testing.
Annual Red Zone | 2006–present
Travel and shipping peaks during the December holidays, known as the “Red Zone.” SCMS plans well in advance for these time periods to ensure reliable supply.
South Africa | World Cup, 2010
We started working with clients and vendors a year before the event to plan their shipping schedules and avoid this busy and expensive time period, ensuring deliveries arrived on time and without disruption.