Management Sciences for Health Partners with USAID to Strengthen Ethiopia’s Medical Supply Chain

Arlington, VA—(October 1, 2024)—Management Sciences for Health (MSH) today announced a new partnership with USAID in Ethiopia aimed at strengthening the capacity of local institutions, networks, and individuals to develop the country’s pharmaceutical and supply chain management system.  

In implementing the Supply Chain Strengthening (SCS) Activity, MSH will lead a consortium of partners. That consortium includes U-Three Systems Work International, an Ethiopian firm specializing in supply chain workforce, data systems, and private sector partnerships; Tiruzer Ethiopia for Africa, an Ethiopian nonprofit supporting community-led monitoring and differentiated service delivery; Deloitte Consulting Tanzania, a regional firm collaborating with Ethiopia on enterprise resource planning; MezzanineWare, a South Africa-based firm specializing in last-mile supply chain data analytics use and early warning systems; and Pharmarack, an Indian firm providing B2B solutions to consolidate private pharmaceutical markets.  

Ethiopia’s long-range plans for its health system recognize the essential role reliable access to medicines and health products plays in achieving the country’s commitment to universal health coverage. Investments made to date have improved the lives of women and children, increased the number of people on antiretroviral therapy for HIV, lowered the tuberculosis burden, and helped the country respond to emergencies.  

The SCS Activity will build on this progress while supporting stakeholders at all levels—from the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Services (EPSS) and Ministry of Health (MOH) to individual facilities and communities—as they enhance their workforce capacity and use of data for decision-making. Other proposed improvements include strengthened subnational ownership, leadership, and governance of key supply chain and pharmaceutical services; expanded private-sector outsourcing; local resource-mobilization strategies for health commodities; and increased accountability through community-led monitoring.  

The goal is a more mature, sustainable supply chain that will enable reliable access to safe, effective, quality‐assured medicines and health products and people‐centered pharmaceutical services that promote rational use.   

“Ethiopia’s commitment to a system-building approach toward universal health coverage is one we can all learn from,” said Marian W. Wentworth, MSH President and CEO. “We look forward to deeper engagement with our country partners and continuing to support their shift to an integrated supply chain and pharmaceutical system that adds value to people’s health.”    

The SCS Activity builds on MSH’s legacy of partnering with Ethiopia, where MSH has operated continuously for 20 years with a staff of 130 people in programs covering seven regions. An all-Ethiopian, gender-balanced team of experts will lead the project, and our consortium partners will work from MSH’s office in Addis Ababa.  

Additional information about MSH’s work in Ethiopia is available here. To learn more about our work on medical supply chains, click here.