J.6_Appendix_6.0_-_Current_Platform_Overview.pdf

Nearly 20,000 service delivery points (hospitals, health centers, and health posts) across Ethiopia offer citizens access to health care. To ensure that each facility has the health commodities required to provide high-quality services, John Snow Inc., with funding from US Agency for International Development, is supporting the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) to implement Vitas, a warehouse management system.

Vitas is a management information system that directs supply operations at the warehouse level, capturing real-time commodity movements across the warehouse network, as well as expiries, losses, and adjustments. It gives PFSA vital insight into both the location and levels of valuable commodities and allows it to forecast, procure, and distribute with confidence.

KEY BENEFITS

With the roll out of Vitas, PFSA operations are increasingly agile, efficient, and effective.

A one-stop application, Vitas is improving supply chain operations by—

• Standardizing business processes and streamlining commodity management,

• Automating tasks to reduce errors and redundancy,

• Ensuring data integrity by utilizing a central data repository, and

• Expanding data visibility.

These improvements are resulting in time and cost efficiency. As work flow improves, so does the movement of information between forecasting, procurement, warehousing, and distribution units. Each supply chain function is integrated through the use of Vitas to make PFSA operations run more efficiently.

As Vitas expands PFSA operational capacity, anticipated benefits include —

What is the Vitas?

Vitas is a locally developed, open source, custom software platform designed to support warehouse management, inventory control, and logistics management information. It is used to control inventory, from receipt to issue, and manage movement and storage in PFSA center and hub warehouses.

What is the scope of Vitas?

The application is designed to manage any kind of inventory, whether in full or non-full supply, including medicines, vaccines, equipment, chemicals, and consumables.

Who are the intended users of Vitas?

It is designed to support supply chain operations at PFSA Center and Hub warehouses.

Anyone with supply chain responsibilities

– analysts to executives, as well as IT staff members responsible for installing and managing the solution – can use it.

PRODUCT SHEET | VITAS

Streamlined operations. From forecast to issue, every step integrates data and actions to account for and protect valuable commodities.

Proactive inventory control. Combined inventory tracking, procurement, and issue and receipt is automated to desired min and max levels, preventing over and under stocking.

Confident forecasts.

Demand is anticipated with better accuracy to maintain sufficient inventory levels.

Client Environment

• Operating system for servers – Microsoft Windows server

• Operating system for end users – Compatible virtually with all Windows Operating Systems (OS), later than Windows XP

• Development tools –

Visual Studio

Server Environment

• Database – Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition

• Diagrams – Software Ideas Modeler 3.30

• Running environment

– Net Framework 3.5

Data Environment

• Directory services standardizing data and creating a catalog for all product categories and attributes

Hardware

• Personal computer, printer

Supported Web Browsers

• Browsers – Mozilla Firefox 2 and above & Google Chrome

• Internet – Minimum 512 kbps

Operability

• Because Ethiopia faces many obstacles to ensuring a reliable IT infrastructure, Vitas is designed to work offline, with data syncing to directory services when connection is available.

Demand and Procurement Planning Provides robust data analytics and reporting to guide demand planning while supporting procurement operations through PO creation and management.

Costing Improves resource management by providing commodity costing based on:

FOB value, landed cost, unit cost, and cost build up and cost analysis.

Warehouse Management Facilitates day to day warehouse operations and tracks the transfer and storage through:

• Pick list generation

• FEFO management

• Batching

• Location tracking

• Transfer and loss and adjustment management

• Cross-warehouse visibility

Requisition Fulfillment Automates receipt and issues using real-time consumption, stock balance, and expiries and losses and adjustments to ensure accurate fulfillment including dispatch management and issues and receipt and delivery confirmations.

Inventory Control Tracks inventory levels, monitors pipeline to established minimum and maximum levels , and transfers, expiries, and wastage to minimize excess stock and fulfill orders on time.

Interoperability Vitas is interoperable with PFSA’s mBrana platform which operates at the Woreda level. It is also interoperable with Dagu, PFSA’s facility level supply chain solution, but data is not currently being transmitted between the two due to limited connectivity and infrastructure obstacles.

As of this date, Dagu requisitions and reports are printed and manually entered into Vitas to continue the movement of data up the supply chain.

CURRENT DEPLOYMENT

Vitas is installed in—

• All central store locations

• All hubs (18 locations)

KEY FEATURES

Vitas leverages the latest technology to support industry best practices in supply chain management and optimize business processes. In doing so it automates the flow of information and coordinates key activities within and across warehouses.

TECHNICAL

REQUIREMENTS

PRODUCT SHEET VITAS

For more information about Vitas, contact:

appliedtech@jsi.com

What is Dagu?

Dagu is a locally developed, open source, custom software platform designed to support inventory control, and logistics management information at service delivery points. It provides a systematic recordkeeping system for managing health commodities at health facility stores.

What is the scope of Dagu?

The application is designed to manage any kind of health commodities, including medicines, consumables, supplies, chemicals etc.

Who are the intended users of Dagu?

This transactional system is for use of the health facility store managers. Reports generated by the system can be used by store managers, and pharmacy and facility heads.

With Dagu, the time to complete a requisition form for ordering and reporting was reduced from 2 days to 90 minutes.

Nearly 20,000 service delivery points (hospitals, health centers, and health posts) across Ethiopia offer citizens access to health care. To ensure that each facility has the health commodities required to provide high-quality services, John Snow Inc., with funding from US Agency for International Development, is supporting the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) to implement Dagu, a software solution designed to managing supplies at service delivery points.

Dagu is an inventory management system designed to manage daily transactions at health facilities. This system facilitates the use of standard operating logistics procedures including issue and receipts, ‘first to expire, first out’, and batch/expiry tracking. Dagu also helps store and generate timely stock reports for decision making.

KEY BENEFITS

By facilitating improved management of and access to issues data at stores, Dagu has made notable improvements in the flow of supplies as it—

• Shortens requisition submission and fulfillment times,

• Improves data quality through requisition automation,

• Ensures data integrity by providing a central data repository, and

• Expands data visibility through timely reporting.

With consistent use, Dagu is revolutionizing supply chain management at health facilities—

• Minimizes commodity shortages, and overages,

• Improves stock management (inventory levels between minimum and maximum), and

• Increases access to and accuracy of information.

Facilities can easily identify what they have on hand, what is available for issuing, what they need to order, and which products are near-to-expire.

PRODUCT SHEET | DAGU

• Microsoft Windows

• Operating system for end users – Compatible virtually with all Windows Operating Systems (OS), later than Windows XP

• Development tools –

Visual Studio

Data Environment

• Directory services standardizing data and creating a catalog for all product categories and attributes

Hardware

• Personal computer

• Printer

Supported Web Browsers

• Browsers – Mozilla Firefox 2 and above & Google Chrome

• Internet – Minimum 512 kbps

Requisition and Issue Fulfillment Automates generation of facility report and request forms including details of stock on hand, issues, receipts, and quantity requested.

Transaction Management Maintains information on all transactions for monitoring and record-keeping at facilities. Recorded information includes:

receipts, issues, losses, adjustments, and transfers

Store Management Ensures managers have visibility into commodities stored by tracking current inventory levels as well as expiries, damage, and transfers.

Interoperability While Dagu and Vitas are interoperable, data is not transmitted between the two platforms due to limited connectivity and infrastructure obstacles. At present, Dagu requisitions and reports are printed and manually entered into Vitas to continue movement of data up the supply chain.

Reporting Facilities data-driven decisions by producing varied reports including—

• Year end stock keeping inventory

• Stock status

• Stock out

• Over stocked

• Near expiry as well as commodities, clients, manufacturers, and costs.

Call Center Support A help desk supports the more than 750 locations currently using Dagu.

CURRENT DEPLOYMENT

Dagu is installed in— Dagu is installed in more than 750 health facilities, including most hospitals and major health centers across Ethiopia. These facilities use over 75 percent of the commodities that flow through the public sector health care supply chain.

KEY FEATURES

Dagu is designed to improve inventory management and increase data visibility.

TECHNICAL

REQUIREMENTS

PRODUCT SHEET DAGU

For more information about Dagu, contact:

What is Fanos?

Fanos is an online tool that makes PFSA supply chain data accessible in real time through the visual presentation of selected supply chain indicators. It is complimented by a mobile Android app that provides access to the same data via a smartphone.

What is the scope of Fanos?

Fanos supports decision-making for all commodities managed by PFSA software tools.

Who are the intended users of Fanos?

It is designed to be used by anyone in the Ethiopian public sector health care supply chain. While primarily for executive and technical PFSA staff, this also includes Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), regional health bureaus, and potential partners.

An enterprise-wide view of PFSA with the ability to improve performance and accuracy across units and locations.

Ability to identify wastage and better control costs.

Transparency and efficiency across the supply chain by enabling real time product tracking.

Improved capability to identify issues and anticipate and solve problems before they develop.

Better decision-making as users collaborate to monitor and analyze real time data.

Improved inventory control and reduced lead times.

PRODUCT SHEET | FANOS

Nearly 20,000 service delivery points (hospitals, health centers, and health posts) across Ethiopia offer citizens access to health care. To ensure that each facility has the health commodities required to provide high-quality services, John Snow Inc., with funding from US Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is supporting the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) in the deployment of Fanos, an online dashboard interface.

Fanos is used to manage data from PFSA’s supply chain management platforms Vitas, which manages supplies at warehouses, and mBrana and Dagu, which manage supplies at woredas (for vaccines) and service delivery points, respectively. This data represents the entire network of PFSA warehouses and Fanos makes it available for analysis and reporting in real time. It provides end-to-end visibility into the entire supply chain, from forecasting to issue. This platform gives PFSA access to accurate, timely, and complete events, transactions, and associated data across locations and organizational units.

KEY BENEFITS

Fanos facilitates the analysis of supply chain performance by providing PFSA with ready access to essential data needed to make sound operational and strategic decisions.

Regular syncing of data with the data mart whenever connected to the internet ensures that data provided reflects on-the-ground inventory levels. In doing so, Fanos amplifies the benefits of Vitas, mBrana, and Dagu.

By providing data to any user in any location, Fanos offers—

Server Environment

• Database – Microsoft SQL Server

• Diagrams – Software Ideas Modeler 3.30

• Running environment – Net Framework 3.5

Data Environment

• Directory services standardizing data and creating a catalog for all product categories and attributes

Hardware

• PC, tablet, mobile phone

Supported Web Browsers

• Browsers – Google Chrome & Mozilla Firefox 2

• Internet – Minimum 512 kbps

Fanos supports supply chain performance monitoring, analysis, and management by visually displaying key indicators in real time. The tool has two components, or types of data widgets, which together provide essential navigation instruments that guide enterprise-wide, collaborative decision-aking—

TECHNICAL

REQUIREMENTS KEY FEATURES

Strategic Data widgets which display key performance indicators designed to evaluate PFSA’s performance against its strategic goals.

Examples include: stockout rate, lead time variability, inventory turns.

Operational Data widgets which monitor the operational side of PFSA business and track real time, daily processes with the goal of alerting PFSA users to deviations so they can respond in time.

Examples include: stock status, pipeline monitoring, distribution mapping, procurement agents.

For more specific analytics, users can search Fanos using keywords and they can filter data by—

Fanos gathers data from all facilities into one place. Users can login—

• At any time and from any place

• Using their desktop PC or their mobile phones

Location Commodity Program

CURRENT DEPLOYMENT

Fanos is being used at—

• All central stores locations

• All hubs (18 locations)

MOBILE APP

To expand access, Fanos is available as an Android app.

It allows access to the same real-time inventory data found on Fanos – any time, any where.

PRODUCT SHEET FANOS

For more information about Fanos, contact:

Over 12,000 unique items flow through Ethiopia’s health commodity supply chain under the management of the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA), supplying the nearly 20,000 service delivery points (hospitals, health centers, and health posts) across the country. The Food, Medicine and Health Care Administration and Control Authority of Ethiopia (FMHACA) manages the import process for each item, working with a wide variety of vendors from multiple countries. To facilitate the import process John Snow, Inc. (JSI) is collaborating with FMHACA to design and implement i-Import, an online application.

i-Import is Ethiopia’s new electronic medicines import approval system. It is a custom-built online platform which streamlines the approval submission and review process for FMHACA and pharmaceutical importers. Funded by USAID’s AIDSFree Project and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, i-Import was developed and released as part of Ethiopia’s planned open-source electronic regulatory information system, which adapts best practices from the private sector to solve key challenges in the public sector.

KEY BENEFITS

i-Import dramatically increases processing efficiency and transparency by enabling both FMHACA authorities and importers to manage the import request and approval process fully online. Benefits include—

• Increased transparency – importers and FMHACA management can track the status of each request online,

• Improved efficiency – FMHACA can manage the import application process in a fraction of the time and enhance collaboration with PFSA and importers to complete tasks more efficiently,

• Workforce management – FMHACA managers can assign work more effectively across staff and measure worker productivity,

• Interoperable with PFSA information systems – PFSA purchase requests synch directly to i-Import, offering the potential to enhance overall supply chain visibility from import approval to last mile delivery,

• Facile and robust reporting – i-Import generates reports and analytics on medicine import approvals to facilitate performance monitoring,

• Improved data quality – i-Import and PFSA information systems share the same master data which reduces data error and redundancy, and

• End-to-end traceability – because the application integrates GS-1 global standards for barcode tracking, it allows regulators to trace products entering Ethiopia from the moment of import to their delivery to the patient.

What is i-Import?

i-Import is an open source, online application developed for the Food, Medicine and Health Care Administration and Control Authority of Ethiopia (FMHACA) which allows importers to apply for and receive permits to import medicines online and FMHACA staff to manage these applications online.

What is the scope of i-Import?

This application is designed to manage the import process for all health commodities being imported into Ethiopia – from the start of an import application to approval.

Who are the intended users of i-Import?

i-Import is designed to support both FMHACA regulatory authorities and importers who are involved in the import application process. PFSA staff with procurement responsibilities also have access to and use i-Import.

PRODUCT SHEET | I-IMPORT

For more information about i-Import, contact:

appliedtech@jsi.com

Client Environment

• Operating system for servers – Microsoft Windows server

• Operating system for end users – Compatible with all Operating Systems

(OS)

• Development tools - Visual Studio Code

Server Environment

• Database - Postgres

SQL

• Running Environment - .NET

CORE

Data Environment

• FMHACA

Directory services standardizing data and creating a catalog for all product categories and attributes

Hardware

• Personal computer

• Printer

Supported Web Browsers

• Browsers – Mozilla, Firefox 2 and above, Google Chrome

• Internet – Minimum· 512 kbps

CURRENT DEPLOYMENT

i-Import was deployed in July 2017 and is now being used by FMHACA, PFSA, and over 100 local medicine importers.

KEY FEATURES

With i-Import, importers can apply for and receive permits to import medicines and FMHACA staff receive, review, and process these applications online. Throughout the review process, importers can check on the status of their permits. An open source application, other key features include:

i-Import is fully integrated with PFSA’s Vitas enterprise level warehouse and inventory management information system, and Fanos, PFSA’s supply chain dashboard, enhancing end-to-end supply chain operations and data quality and visibility.

TECHNICAL

REQUIREMENTS

PRODUCT SHEET I-IMPORT

Import Permitting

• Request, review, and approve permits

Local Agent Applications

• Create local agents

Reports

• Approved items

• Assigned import permits to customer service officers

• Count of import permits by applicant

• Import permit processing times

• Top Applicants

License Holder

• Create license holders

Alerts and Notifications

• Update on application status, including approvals

Dashboard Key Indicators

• Import permit status

• Approved import permits by port

• Payment modes

• Import permit processing time

• Requested and approved import permits

What is mBrana?

mBrana is an open source mobile software platform designed to manage inventory – from receipt to issue. It is fully integrated into Vitas, PFSA’s supply chain management information system, and Fanos, PFSA’s supply chain dashboard, in order to ensure end-to-end visibility into the entire PFSA supply chain.

What is the scope of mBrana?

This application is designed to manage vaccine inventory at woredas and zones throughout Ethiopia.

However, it can be easily modified to manage any item in any location.

Who are the intended users of the mBrana?

Primary users are EPI logistics coordinators at woredas. But anybody involved in vaccine supply chain management at any level can use the system.

PRODUCT SHEET | MBRANA

Supplying hospitals, health centers, and health posts with safe supplies for immunizing the nearly 3 million infants born each year in Ethiopia is a complex task. Increased visibility into the vaccine supply greatly improves program performance. To increase visibility, John Snow Inc. and the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) are implementing a new mobile logistics information and inventory management system for vaccines – mBrana. Through enhanced visibility, mBrana is designed to improve supply chain performance, increase vaccine availability, and, ultimately, strengthen the Ethiopia1 EPI program and save lives.

The mBrana mobile system was developed with financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is currently being deployed to manage vaccines at woredas and zones throughout Ethiopia. It is fully integrated with PFSA’s Vitas enterprise level warehouse and inventory management information system, enhancing end-to-end supply chain operations and data quality and visibility.

KEY BENEFITS

mBrana makes key supply chain tasks like receipt and issue within and across woreda warehouses easy and automates the flow of information. Consistent and accurate data is needed to manage vaccine supply chains and mBrana offers exactly this through real time access to vaccine availability, receipts and issues, and bin card tracking. Other benefits include—

• Improved supply chain efficiency – woredas can quickly generate and instantly send orders to hubs and track order progress, from order to issue to delivery,

• Process standardization – by using the standard Vaccine Request Form mBrana facilitates increased adherence to supply chain standard operating procedures across all facilities,

• Data-based decision making – mBrana allows users real time access to vaccine stock data; both what is at woredas and what they are sending to health centers,

• End-to-end visibility – the system is integrated with Fanos, PFSA’s supply chain dashboard, so decision makers can access data in one place for national, regional, and woreda levels,

• Facile reporting – users can generate and print reports including historical data at any time, and

• User acceptance and long term sustainability – as a mobile system, user acceptance is high and the system is quick and easy to set up and to use.

1 Source: World Health Organization http://apps.who.int/immunization_monitoring/globalsummary/ countries?countrycriteria%5Bcountry%5D%5B%5D=ETH&commit=OK

Previous to mBrana stocks were managed with

Now, vaccine stock is managed with a dynamic mobile interface

Which supports better planning and streamlines the process of managing and distributing vaccines

Paper Records

Manual Counts

Dashboard

• Android: minimum

SDK 4.0

• Development tool:

Android Studio

Server Environment

• Database – Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition

• Running environment – .Net

Framework 4.5

Data Environment

• Directory services standardizing data and creating a catalog for all product categories and attributes

Hardware

• Mobile mBrana is a dynamic solution designed to support all aspects of vaccine supply management. Woreda EPI coordinators use the software to check stock levels and order and receive vaccines from PFSA hubs as well as issue to health facilities. Other key features include—

• Electronic Vaccine Request Form generation and submission to hubs,

• Electronic Bin Card feature which allows woredas see stock status at anytime, anywhere and track batch numbers, expiry dates, and other product information,

• Order management and track and trace which allows woredas to track the status of their Vaccine Request Form and see which product is going where,

• Robust reporting for decision-making, and

• Interoperability with Vitas and Fanos, allowing managers at any level of the supply chain in any facility to have full visibility into the vaccine pipeline.

Because this platform is integrated into Vitas supply chain managers at any level of the supply chain in any facility have full visibility into vaccine supply operations. The system also reinforces use of the standard Vaccine Request Form (VRF).

CURRENT DEPLOYMENT

As of 2017, mBrana has been deployed to over 180 woredas in Ethiopia in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and Benshangul. It is expected to be deployed nationwide to all woredas by the end of 2018.

There are also plans to test mBrana at the health center level, extending data visibility further down the supply chain.

TECHNICAL

REQUIREMENTS KEY FEATURES

PRODUCT SHEET MBRANA

Photo: Ato Gebremedhin , Raya Azebo woreda health office (Tigray) using mBrana in the field to check vaccine stock status (Left). Ato Kelali Gebreyesus, Endemehoni woreda health office (Tigray) using mBrana to issue vaccine for facilities (Right).

For more information about mBrana, contact: