Using performance-based financing (PBF) to motivate health commodity supply chain improvement at a central medical store in Mozambique

Abstract

Background The predominant model of public health commodity supply chains in developing countries is one dominated by a central medical store (CMS). In this model, the CMS plays the pivotal role of procurement, storage and warehousing of all health commodities before they are distributed to the next level in the supply chain. Challenges with technical and organization capacity at the CMS level has led to longstanding difficulties in creating sustainable performance improvements in several countries. In Mozambique, the central medical store (Central de Medicamentos e Artigos Medicos-CMAM) receives significant US government support (through USAID) for both health commodities and technical assistance. We tested the effectiveness of a PBF scheme between CMAM and USAID, to improve the functioning of the CMS in Mozambique.