Country Overview

To date, SCMS has procured and delivered more than $26.7M of ARVs for Zambia—more than any other country that SCMS supports.

Making antitretroviral treatment (ART) available to those in need is one of the highest priorities of the Government of the Republic of Zambia. About one million Zambians are living with HIV/AIDS, and 250,000 require ART. Gaps in supply of drugs in the public sector, along with the lack of an adequate logistic and supply chain system, are among the major obstacles that have historically hindered the availability of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in Zambia.

SCMS is working with the Government of the Republic of Zambia to reduce stockouts of health commodities in support of ART and male circumcision programs. SCMS supports the Government’s effort to provide quality healthcare to those living with HIV/AIDS. SCMS provides technical assistance in supply chain strengthening by establishing a national level logistics system for laboratory and male circumcision commodities which has been rolled out to 216 laboratories across the country with a total of 800 laboratory personnel trained in commodity management.

SCMS is working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and several other partners in developing an HIV/AIDS commodity security plan which brings together all programs, functions, and cross-cutting issues in  the implementation of a strategic response for securing HIV/AIDS commodities. Endorsed by senior MOH officials, we plan to formally launch the strategic plan in late 2010.

Key Objectives

• Procure and deliver quality products in keeping with national protocol.
• Develop and implement a national laboratory logistics system.
• Facilitate the development of a national strategic plan for HIV/AIDS commodity security.
• Support national male circumcision efforts through quantification and development of a supply chain for needed commodities.

Activities and Impact

Value of commodities delivered as of March 2010: $112.5 million

Procurement and delivery: To date, SCMS has procured and delivered over $59.7 million worth of ARVs, over $3 million worth of co-trimoxizole and OI drugs, over $16 million worth of lab supplies and equipment, and over $7.6 million of test kits for Zambia. We have brought in 90 percent of the current national requirement for lab supplies for HIV/AIDS diagnosis and over 95 percent of the national requirement for HIV test kits.

Forecasting and quantification: SCMS has completed an unprecedented seven-year forecast for laboratory commodities in Zambia. The country has experienced fewer service delivery point stockouts as planned procurements for these commodities are successfully fulfilled on schedule.

National laboratory logistics system:  SCMS is working with the MOH and US Government partners in Zambia to strengthen the country’s laboratory logistics system. SCMS supported the MOH to design and implement the first ever national laboratory logistics system for 216 laboratories nationwide. The system improved service delivery level data collection and the quality of forecasting and quantification. Once the system was implemented, the national level availability of major laboratory commodities increased from 30% to 98% in one year. SCMS is computerizing the paper-based logistics management information system forms throughout the country. This will further improve the reporting and timely transmission of logistics data from the service delivery to the central level.

Male Circumcision (MC) commodities Technical Assistance: SCMS has supported the MOH in the quantification and identification of MC commodity needs, procurement planning of these commodities as well as the establishmet of a national male circumcision supply chain. Over $300,000 worth of the commodities in the country have been procured which will support the Ministry's prevention campaign to increase the current level of male circumcision from 14% to about 24% by the end of 2011.