Demo for UNHCR

Owned by Rebecca Alban (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 04, 2020
2 min read

OpenLMIS participants: Wesley Brown, Rebecca Alban (Unlicensed)

UNHCR: Javier Utande , based in Spain. Pharmacy Officer at the Public Health Section of UNHCR. 

Background: he contacted the info@openlmis email alias for more information - they are currently exploring potential LMIS options to implement within their programs

UNHCR are in almost every refugee camp in the world. In all their countries they import medicines, and hand them over to partners. 

  • UNHCR is owner of the pharmaceuticals, but partners handle distribution and warehouse management
  • Send them to central warehouse, managed by their partner, then to lower level warehouses managed by DIFFERENT partners, then to health facilities
  • manage their stock at regional level
  • Annual procurement based on forecast; forecast based on info collected at central level. Each implementing partner contributes to this, each partner is placing the order. 
  • Currently they are doing this all at Excel; except a few places like Ethiopia where a software is in place. but mostly (such as TZ, Chad, Congo). Some partners have their own systems (for example IRC, Save the Children might have system to monitor their stock, but local NGOs don't have the capacity). 
  • TZ?? there is OpenLMIS there already. UNHCR has operations in all OpenLMIS countries; presence is very large in Tanzania, some countries only have a small focus on health. 
  • Their biggest need is to know consumption figures and to know stock levels

-primary use of OpenLMIS is to learn about what is being used at the facility level; as well as to request stock from higher levels. They might be more interested in regional warehouse levels because the re-stock at facility level happens every 2 weeks. 2 weeks is quick turnover, but taking a step up from that level to District warehouse. To learn what stock on hand, average consumption, and being able to calculate amount for the next shipment. That is what OpenLMIS does. 


Questions from Javier:

-How does the hosting work? (answered by Wes)

-Who are the implementing partners, and do you work with MoH?

-I see that there are some videos on youTube, is there a video or where to see the main features or a summary video

-Who does the implementations, is it PSM?

-What does the 'Open' in OpenLMIS mean?

Demo from Wes


Questions from Rebecca:

Who would the users of the system be? Would it be multiple partners, by region? or someone from the MoH who would collate all the partner needs together? -partners managing the district stocks, reports would be sent to UNHCR health teams 

Is there a funding source for implementation or would need to look for funds? Need to look for funds

-one potential pilot would be in Tanzania- the set up is relatively simple there so would be a good candidate. And just one implementing partner. Can I give email of the people who you should contact to get more information. UN system has different ways of linking with partners; need to check how the partnership could happen  


Next steps:

Rebecca Alban (Unlicensed) to highlight a few demo videos and share additional resources about implementations, implementer toolkit, share ppt

Provide him with contact information for Alfred in TZ

Wes provided link to demo site (Rebecca will include in follow up email as well) 






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