Abstract
World Health Organization (WHO) states access to medicine as a priority area for universal health coverage, wherein a well-functioning medicine supply chain is indispensable. Optimization of supply chains to cut losses related to overstocking, expiration, and inefficiencies protect the investments and strengthen health systems to better deliver the health services. This article shares the experience of developing a service-driven-software for pharmaceutical supplies during emergency conditions and disasters, and the advantages gained. In 2005, Logistic Support System (LSS), the updated version of SUMA (Supply Management), was introduced by WHO during the earthquake in Pakistan which had offered valuable but limited services to many countries. Moving from ad hoc to a more organized approach, the medical donations and stockpiles of essential medicinal supplies were inventoried on LSS database for managing the dispatch of medical supplies to the disaster-hit area in a shortest possible time. Post disaster rescue and rehabilitation work further instigated the need for development of a new software, Pharmaceutical Information Management System (PIMS), that was effective in the emergency as well as routine inventory operations. It was used for efficient and improved access of medicines and faster decision making. The new systems proved vital to anticipate over/under stocking through proactive alerts and prompting. The updated information on epidemiological and drug utilization needs were crucial for the effective quantification and ordering throughout the supply chain. Implementation of PIMS demanded appreciable customization including conversion of system from stand-alone to online system with consolidation of information on stocks from all locations. Provision of multi-user option allowed facilitation according to the user authorization, and was equipped with improved-speed, efficiency, and security. PIMS was successfully replicated by the pioneer team of pharmacist from Pakistan in other countries.
Highlights
Disaster relief program is required for the provision of medicine, food, tents, equipment, and other necessities of life to the victims in a misfortune area affected with earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, wild fires, or other natural disasters
Essential management team at World Health Organization (WHO), Islamabad identified several shortcomings of Logistic Support System (LSS) program during its use in post 2005 earth quake disaster relief operation in Pakistan and provided a trigger to the transformation of system to its advanced form named as Pharmaceutical Information Management System (PIMS)
Over the times PIMS has proven to be a user-friendly and efficient system which is adopted in Pakistan as well as in other countries including Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Philippines with the help of the experts that were involved in the upgradation of LSS to PIMS
Summary
Disaster relief program is required for the provision of medicine, food, tents, equipment, and other necessities of life to the victims in a misfortune area affected with earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, wild fires, or other natural disasters. Essential management team at World Health Organization (WHO), Islamabad identified several shortcomings of Logistic Support System (LSS) program during its use in post 2005 earth quake disaster relief operation in Pakistan and provided a trigger to the transformation of system to its advanced form named as Pharmaceutical Information Management System (PIMS). This new version integrates data collection, data processing, and presentation of information to make fast, and reliable, evidence-based decisions for the management of pharmaceutical services during disaster and emergency services at large scale. Over the times PIMS has proven to be a user-friendly and efficient system which is adopted in Pakistan as well as in other countries including Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Philippines with the help of the experts that were involved in the upgradation of LSS to PIMS
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