Barcodes and Document Identifiers to Track and Authenticate Official Documents in the Ethiopian Healthcare Supply Chain

PFSA handles hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of health commodity transactions, supplying nearly 24,000 health service delivery points, including hospitals, health centers, and health posts. To prevent fraudulent activity and ensure authenticity of documents, PFSA collaborated with the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT to introduce the Global Document Type Identifier (GDTI) for official documents. GDTI is a unique identification key used to track and authenticate documents. It can be encoded in a barcode or printed directly on a document. The GDTI includes a serial number that uniquely identifies a specific document. Organizations can use GDTI to register documents, track documents, and prevent fraud and document falsification. PFSA is using GDTI on official documents, including cash and credit invoices, purchase orders, and stock transfer vouchers. The GDTI numbers are linked to a centralized PFSA database. Recipients of PFSA documents can scan the barcodes on their documents and log into a PFSA web portal to verify the authenticity of their documents. The USAID | DELIVER PROJECT, implemented by John Snow, Inc., aims to improve the health commodity supply chain in Ethiopia by streamlining distribution systems, enhancing logistics management information systems, and encouraging policymakers to support logistics as a critical factor in their healthcare mandates. The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Utilizing GDTI on PFSA documents enables verification and authentication of documents originating from PFSA. When a hospital receives a payment, they can use a standard barcode reader app to scan the invoice; before processing payment, they can quickly verify that the invoice originated from PFSA. GDTI also enables PFSA to track documents in real-time and ensure control within the supply chain. The implementation of GDTI on PFSA documents has the potential to prevent fraudulent activity and ensure the authenticity of documents. This can lead to improved financial management and reduced risk of financial losses. The use of GDTI also enables PFSA to track documents in real-time, ensuring control within the supply chain.