ReliefWeb

On Tuesday 18th January 2022, the Health Pooled Fund project received a delegation consisting of Jessie-Ann Brouillette, Markus Larsson, and Alice Vantournhoudt from the embassies of Canada, Sweden and European Union respectively. As project donors, the guests had a tour of the HPF3 warehouse in Juba to learn more about the HPF3 project distribution and logistics.

HPF3 Team Leader Mick Robson OBE, Mike Thaw – Supply Chain Director and Sean Prince – Warehouse Manager gave a short presentation about the project supply chain and then gave a guided tour around the warehouse.

The HPF3 project is scheduled to start their next distribution, Consignment 16 (C16), on Monday 7th February 2022. C16 consists of 417 tons of medical supplies packed in 24,505 cartons. The C16 consignment has 94 product lines used to provide basic healthcare. These products are assembled in kit form which vary in size depending on the level of the facilities supplied.

Distribution is managed over two phases. Within the first six weeks HPF aims to distribute to 84 central locations within the states. During the second phase, medical logisticians will deliver to the final mile delivery. Historically, HPF3 has been highly successful at making final mile deliveries within the project target of 21 days.

Anticipated challenges: Whilst February is considered the dry season in South Sudan, there is still regions that suffer from residual flooding and route selection is important to avoid roads and bridges that have been washed away. The HPF3 project continues to monitor volatile regions and carry out risk assessments before making deliveries. “In adherence to our budget, we try to use road transport where possible, but some distribution has to go via air cargo” explained Mike Thaw.

About HPF Distribution

HPF3 is a five-year, multi-donor programme led by the British Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and including the Government of Canada, the Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), GAVI – The Vaccine Alliance, and the European Union (EU). HPF3 began in October 2018 and will end in October 2023.

The programme impact will improve the health and wellbeing of the population of South Sudan through achievement of the following outcome and outputs:
Outcome: Increased coverage, access and utilisation of quality lifesaving health, sexual and reproductive health, and nutrition services
Output 1: Delivery and increased availability/readiness of quality health services at facilities.
Output 2: Community level interventions that increase awareness, prevention and treatment of common conditions. Output 3: Availability of safe, effective and quality essential medicines and supplies.
Output 4: Stable health systems that enhance accountability and responsive to the needs of the people.
Output 5: Funds and processes that are efficient, effective, inclusive and offer value for money.

Every year, the Health Pooled Fund conducts three main distributions of essential drugs and commodities. These are usually between 400 to 500 tonnes of medical supplies. Medical supplies are distributed to as many as 807 heath facilities across eight HPF supported states.

This will be the 16th distribution dispatched by the HPF project. C16 is the final distribution exercise for Year 3.