Logistics and supply chain management

Operational guidance on transport and storage of ITNs for school-based distribution, as well as management of the supply chain, tracking, accountability and reporting.

Key SBD Considerations

It is recommended that countries develop an ITN logistics and supply chain management plan which is integrated across continuous distribution channels, including for SBD, whenever possible, building on the synergies of ITN logistics planning and implementation across key MoH, MoE, administrative, implementing and logistics partners, and community partners. Relevant SBD components can be included within the SBD PoA, with details included as annexes.

The plan should:

  • Identify transport routes, storage and distribution points as well as plans for logistics to return surplus ITNs after issuing.
  • Describe the process for local procurement of equipment, tools, services and other non-ITN supplies to support SBD, including timelines, management approaches, supply chains and accountability measures.
  • Include a logistics timeline, budget, tools, defined roles and responsibilities, reporting and oversight – as validated by the national malaria coordination structure.
  • Include a supply chain risk assessment to identify and mitigate opportunities for fraud, theft or diversion of ITNs. These risks, when nets are stored outside MoH channels, are common and have an impact on accountability, without mitigation measures in the form of proper tracking documentation that is strictly implemented, and without secure storage measures, such as lockable rooms and regular inventory audits.
Download: PMI VectorWorks Preventing, identifying and mitigating the impact of fraud, theft and diversion [PDF] EN.

Consider the following when developing the ITN logistics and supply chain plan:

  • In many countries, schools have reached many communities. Where school enrolment is high, this does reinforce equitable ITN distribution, but it increases the logistical complexity of deploying ITNs to schools in remote areas.
  • The SBD contents of the logistics and supply chain plan should include the results of the ITN micro-quantification and related storage, transport and tracking plans across levels as well as logistics and guidance for use and tracking of surplus ITNs remaining at the end of the SBD activity.

ITN SBD typically occurs once per year, through a process to identify the number of pupils enrolled and/or attending school in the class levels selected to receive ITNs and issue ITNs to students in those specific classes. Specific considerations for conducting SBD are described below.

The ITN SBD storage plan should include:

  • Calculation of the secure storage space needed for ITN storage at national, sub-national and school levels. This can be measured in cubic metres, accounting for adequate walkways and safe height of stacked ITN bales, to ensure that an ITN inventory can be regularly and easily verified. Instructions for calculating and verifying warehouse and secure storage space should be provided to each district and school.
    • Experience to date has shown that schools in some, but not all, countries have adequate existing storage space for ITNs but that many districts do not. Planners should therefore identify and lease/acquire adequate secure storage space, as needed.
    • Warehouse and storage quality should be assessed using a standardized checklist, with results reported from schools to national level for planning.
  • Guidance on ITN delivery location – central or sub-national levels. For sub-national levels, information should be provided on which levels and locations, in line with an efficient and optimized SBD supply chain plan.
  • Security planning for stored ITNs, e.g. adequate personnel to guard ITNs while in storage; assessment and upgrading of storage infrastructure as needed to provide closeable, lockable doors, windows, and other potential entry and exit points, drawing on information gathered through the warehouse and storage instructions and quality checklist.
  • Plans to store ITNs for a maximum of one to two days at schools prior to their distribution, to reduce theft risk.

Country example

During the early stages of Tanzania’s School Net Programme (SNP), ITN storage and security in schools was identified as a challenge. Tanzania provided money to schools to increase locks, guards and other security measures.

Resources

Download: AMP Toolkit, Chapter 5 – Logistics [PDF] EN
Download: AMP ITN distribution storage guidance [XLS] EN
Download: ITN SBD plan of action (PoA) [Word] EN

ITN SBD transport plans should consider:

  • Given the reach of schools into communities, ITN transport is often complex with some schools accessible only by boat, motorcycle, bicycle or on foot. So called “last mile” delivery requires specific planning. As with every other movement of ITNs in the supply chain, proper tracking and accountability must be ensured. In addition, the issue of security for the personnel transporting the ITNs, as well as for the ITNs themselves, must be taken into consideration.
  • MoE and private education personnel at sub-national level should be consulted, as they are best placed to know accessibility and ITN delivery options.
  • Beyond the sub-national level, some ITN bales may need to be rebundled to contain an adjusted number of ITNs, to meet the requirements of the ITN micro-quantification and logistics plan and ITN needs of each school.

Country example: Rebundling in Tanzania

In Tanzania, ITN re-bundling is done when a bale needs to be opened to get the correct number of ITNs needed for the subsequent level. It is managed by transporters in between off-loading from larger trucks to smaller vehicles.

Additional considerations for ITN SBD transport plans 

  • Transport plans (and associated training) must ensure ITN deliveries during working hours. Advanced planning for transport routes will improve adherence to schedules.
  • Unexpected challenges may delay ITN transport and arrival; in some cases, leading to ITN delivery outside of school open hours. The transport plan should consider risks such as this and include mitigation measures and guidelines in case such situations arise.
  • Following the ITN SBD activity, and depending on the policy adopted, health facilities may play an important role in receiving surplus ITNs and managing these according to the SBD plan of action. This may include absorbing surplus ITNs into distribution via routine ANC/EPI services or logistics to redeploy surplus ITNs following ITN SBD issuing, as instructed.
  • A plan for ITNs remaining after ITN SBD issuing needs to be established prior to distribution, for example to provide the leftover ITNs to teachers, other students, or to health facilities for distribution via routine ANC and EPI measures. Careful tracking is needed to track all ITNs distributed, including the remaining ITNs at the end of SBD, as well as their entry into the routine primary healthcare services or return to an upper level. This plan should be included in the SBD PoA.

Country example: Logistics for ITNs remaining following ITN SBD in Ghana

Ghana supply chain strengthening includes data driven forecasting, quality assurance (QA), building supply chain operator capacity for inventory management and last mile distribution, optimizing warehouse improvement, and strengthening the Ghana Integrated Logistics Management System (GhiLMIS), private sector engagement and proactive coordinated governance.

Following ITN SBD activities:

At the school level: Guidance indicates that excess nets should be returned to district stores, where District Supply Officers receive and document surplus ITNs.

At the district level

  • District School Health Education Programme (SHEP), public and private school teams then report on ITN stocks received and distributed.
  • District Malaria Focal Points from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) retrieve remaining ITN stocks from the District Education Directorate and document them as one source of ITNs for continuous distribution.
  • District Directors of Health ensure all surplus ITNs are received and used for health facility ITN distribution

At the regional level: A Regional Malaria Focal person (GHS) ensures remaining ITNs from the District Education Directorates are retrieved and documented.

To account for every ITN distributed, ITN SBD logistics tracking and reporting tools should include (paper or digital equivalent):

  • Requisition forms and/or supply forms for ITNs and supporting materials
  • Bin/stock cards to record the name and signature of warehouse personnel receiving and/or issuing ITNs and support materials, e.g. warehouse assessment and tools, waybills and SOPs, stock sheet, tally sheet and SOPs.
  • Transport waybills should record the movement of ITNs from one point (A) to another point (B) and ensure accountability from one level of the supply chain to the next.

To manage ITN SBD storage and transport, it may be helpful to explore use of a transport agent, such as a local non-government organization (NGO), supply chain project, or a private sector third party logistics provider. Third party logistics providers are companies which specialize in commodity storage and transport, and which can be contracted to implement the ITN SBD logistics and supply chain plan.

Donor and government policies and procedures for the funding partner need to be followed. For example, where third party logistics providers will be contracted, robust terms of reference and contracts should be developed, a call for tenders published, and the application and review process included in the overall timeline. These contracts and oversight of their implementation will be an important component in reducing ITN fraud, theft and diversion in the ITN supply chain.

There are several considerations when deciding whether to use third-party logistics management companies for ITN SBD, as presented in the PMI VectorLink, School-Based ITN Distribution Step-by-Step Exemplar, Box 1 [below].

Country example: Ghana’s use of third-party logistics providers

In Ghana, District Supply Officers manage storage and security of ITNs at the district level and they issue stock to third party logistics (3PL) providers and complete inventory and bin/stock cards. The 3PL providers transport ITNs from national to district education stores and then to schools based on the past year’s education MIS enrolment figures.

Resources

  • ITN SBD plan of action (PoA) includes details on logistics and supply chain plan [Word] EN
  • ITN SBD transport plan [Excel] EN
  • ITN logistics tracking and reporting tools – Waybill and stock sheet [Word] EN

Overview

Storage

Tracking and reporting