Diagnosing Supply Chain Maturity: Supply Chain Compass Tool Helps Three Countries

This framework has been adapted into an online tool, known as the Supply Chain Compass, which quickly diagnoses the health of a supply chain. Ministries of health, supply chain stakeholders, managers, donors in groups, or individuals can use this web-based tool to diagnose the supply chain and identify areas for improvement. The Supply Chain Compass tool was implemented in India, Madagascar, and Zanzibar, each country's supply chain being at a different level of integration and engagement. The tool's flexibility in diagnosing a supply chain was demonstrated in each country, highlighting the value of engaging stakeholders and providing guidance for planning future interventions. In India, the tool was used to map the landscape of the supply chain and identify gaps, while in Madagascar, it was incorporated into a high-level national assessment to guide government planning. In Zanzibar, the tool was used in a strategic review of ongoing activities and functions to guide government investment. In India, the project used the Supply Chain Compass to capture initial information about the status of the HIV and AIDS and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health supply chains in three Indian states. The tool helped identify bottlenecks in the supply chain and prioritize areas that needed immediate intervention. The exercise also allowed the project to build relationships with key stakeholders and reach consensus on intervention priorities. In Madagascar, the project used the Supply Chain Compass to evaluate three separate supply chains, complemented by a more extensive assessment. The tool gathered information from stakeholders, including nongovernmental organizations, government, and community-based partners, and helped diagnose the level of integration and provide recommendations for the logistics management information system. The flexibility of the tool allowed for diagnosis across three distinct supply chains, producing one set of coordinated recommendations. In Zanzibar, the Supply Chain Compass was used to identify gaps in the supply chain, specifically the functionality of the central medical stores. The results showed key areas where the government leveraged existing resources to mature and expand supply chain capacity. Completing the tool with stakeholders allowed the project to introduce the integration framework as a way of guiding long-term planning and capacity building. The USAID | DELIVER PROJECT, Task Order 4, is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by John Snow, Inc. The project improves essential health commodity supply chains by strengthening logistics management information systems, streamlining distribution systems, identifying financial resources for procurement and supply chain operations, and enhancing forecasting and procurement planning. The project also encourages policymakers and donors to support logistics as a critical factor in the overall success of their health care mandates. The project's experience in implementing the Supply Chain Compass tool in three countries demonstrates its effectiveness in diagnosing supply chain maturity and providing guidance for planning future interventions. The tool's flexibility and adaptability make it a valuable resource for ministries of health, supply chain stakeholders, and managers seeking to improve the performance of their supply chains.