RE: [e-drug] Reducing stockouts as well as burden of expired items (2)

["Atieno Ojoo" <atisojoo@yahoo.co.uk>]

E-DRUG:  Reducing stockouts as well as burden of expired items (2)
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I do not want to rewrite the famous yellow book - Managing Drug Supply 2nd edition - by JD Quick et al. [Kumarian Press, USA]. 

I put it into practice with a little bit of creativity, flexibility and people skills
 
At the risk of being too simplistic, it means putting to practice what you know about good drug supply management and not accepting the usual excuses that are peddled around. Every situation is unique and warrants special thought and consideration- challenges are there to be overcome!
 
Good drug selection of active ingredients, formulations, pack sizes, etc, Good supplier selection (prequalification based on desired criteria, at which point, price is at the bottom of your checklist-all this is in the Yellow book),VERY GOOD procurement planning-Estimating requirements based on both previous consumption and morbidity (Up to date Data is paramount) and then creating a business relationship with suppliers that allows on demand orders( with agreed lead time) after tenders are awarded, specifying remaining shelf life required for a product on arrival at each level of the distribution network (this is dynamic depending on consumption levels) and having a product return policy (Agreed between the supplier and you again, so as to allow the supplier time to redistribute returned stocks, which usually would be minimal if demand driven ordering is done) are the basic minimum. 
 
Those who are lucky have computer software that can do most of these things, but we were able to do them using manual stock cards, plus a simple in house access data base (Stock cards were still the prefered method!)

All this requires 200% commitment of the person involved and the willingness to face a lot of opposition (Lots of diplomacy, negotiation and people skills needed ,a subject I hope to write about soon). One may need to start by creating an enabling environment......
 
I remember asking a similar question in the WHO EDM Monitor in 2000 and the response I got was not very positive-too many obstacles. I still went ahead and tried to put these things into practice and it worked
 
I am a bit of an optimistic person and so, I believe that I can make something good out of every situation. Strife is caused by and solved by Human beings and those who manage drug supply are no lesser human beings-you can market and sell your solutions in a win-win scenario. I also believe that I can be the change that I wish to see in the world (Paraphrase from Gandhi) by making a difference in my sphere of operation- as the Chinese saying goes-the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step!
 
I hope this inspires you to read the yellow book and work towards putting some of it in practice
 
Atieno Ojoo
atisojoo@yahoo.co.uk