Getting Contraceptives to the Client

Distributing Contraceptives
Receiving Contraceptives
Storing Contraceptives
Transporting Contraceptives
How to ...
Check commodities when they arrive at the port of entry or warehouse
Design a storage area large enough for your needs

		Distributing Contraceptives
Getting contraceptives to the service delivery site		Distribution activities help to ensure that there will be a continuous supply of contraceptives available for clients at all times. These activities include: Receiving shipments of contraceptives; Storing contraceptives; Transporting contraceptives to the next distribution point; Managing inventory; maintaining adequate supply levels by using established systems and procedures. Receiving Contraceptives The distribution part of the contraceptive supply cycle begins with the notification of the dates when the supplies will be shipped and when they are expected to arrive. The supply officer then keeps track of the shipment until it arrives from the supplier, donor, manufacturer, or another warehouse. If a family planning program is receiving its contraceptives from a donor or supplier outside the country, the supply officer should be present when the contraceptives arrive at the port of entry. Upon the arrival of any contraceptive shipment, the supply officer should conduct standardized verification procedures to confirm that the shipment is in order. When the shipment arrives at the storage facility, the contents should be counted, checked against the initial request, and checked for date of expiration, and the amount and types of contraceptives received should be recorded on inventory forms. Similar verification procedures should be applied whenever contraceptives are received at any new storage facility. Check commodities when they arrive at the port of entry or warehouse Clearance Approval Before the contraceptives arrive in port, obtain documentation papers from the supplier specifying shipment content and quantity. When receiving contraceptives at the port of entry, the supply officer should present this documentation to the proper authorities to confirm shipment ownership and content specifications. At this time, duty charges must be paid or documentation provided to establish the right to exemption from these charges. First Physical Count It is important to perform the physical count as soon as possible. Count the number of cartons in the shipment to confirm that the actual shipment amount matches the shipment documentation, and check for damaged cartons before leaving customs. If it is not possible to count and inspect the contents of the shipment before leaving customs, then do it immediately after the shipment is released from customs. If there are any problems, such as incorrect quantities or damaged goods, immediately file a claim noting the quantity and condition of the contraceptives. Be aware that if you sign the acknowledgment of receipt without examining the shipment, you may not be in a position to make any claims against the shipping agent for lost or damaged supplies. Transportation Make arrangements to ensure the prompt transportation of contraceptives to the central warehouse. Second Physical Count Once the contraceptives arrive at the central warehouse, check them again to ensure that all of the cartons sent from the port have arrived at the warehouse. The quantity of contraceptives that arrive at the central warehouse is the quantity that should be recorded on receiving records and Inventory Control Cards. Storing Contraceptives
Contraceptive storage occurs at different levels		The storing of contraceptives, often referred to as warehousing, is defined as the temporary storage of contraceptives until they are requisitioned or dispensed. There are usually three levels of storage facilities: The central warehouse handles and stores all contraceptives received from sources outside the country and, depending on the situation, those produced domestically. The intermediate warehouse, usually located in various regions in a country, handles and stores contraceptives for smaller specific geographical areas. The outlet facility is a final distribution center, such as a service delivery site or clinic, where the contraceptives are given directly to the client. At each level, the amount of stock, frequency of resupply, and distance from the end user will be different. The central warehouse usually houses commodities for a large number of programs or agencies. From the central warehouse, the contraceptives are distributed to the family planning's intermediate warehouse or directly to outlets. Outlets request or receive supplies from the intermediate warehouse or central stores and store them until they are dispensed to the client. Design a storage area large enough for your needs Space for storing contraceptives is defined in terms of the maximum number of months' worth of contraceptives which are to be stored at any one time. These calculations should also take into consideration possible program expansion. To estimate the storage area needed, first determine the type and amount of each contraceptive that will be stored. The steps in estimating the amount of space needed to store a supply of contraceptives (in this case, condoms) are illustrated below. Determine the number of condoms needed for one year. This is done by multiplying the number of expected users by the number of condoms needed for each user for one year. For this example, we will base the figures on an expected 3,000 new users and 3,000 continuing users for one year. (3,000 x 50 condoms per new user per year = 150,000 condoms; 3,000 x 100 condoms per continuing user per year = 300,000 condoms; total of 450,000 condoms) Add an additional 10 percent for loss or damage. (450,000 x 1.10 = 495,000 condoms) Calculate the number of cartons needed for a one-year supply of condoms. For this example, we will assume that each carton contains 6,000 condoms. Divide the total number of condoms by 6,000 to determine the number of cartons needed. (495,000 / 6,000 = 82.5 cartons, rounded up to the next full carton = 83 cartons) Determine the cubic meter space needed for storing each carton. Multiply the total number of cartons by the size of each carton in cubic meters. For this example, we will assume that the size of one carton is .11 cubic meters. (83 cartons x .11 = 9.13 cubic meters) Calculate the square meter space needed for all the cartons, taking into account that 2.5 meters is the maximum height for stacking contraceptive products in order to avoid crushing cartons at the bottom of a stack. Divide the total cubic meters by 2.5 meters. (9.13 cubic meters / 2.5 meters = 3.7 square meters) Add an additional 100 percent for handling space by multiplying the total square meters by 2. (3.7 square meters x 2 = 7.4 square meters) This final calculation will estimate the total amount of storage space needed to store a one- year supply of condoms, based on your projections. When estimating the warehouse space needed, there are several factors to consider. Warehouses are measured in terms of square meters of usable floor space; Stacks of cartons should be no higher than 2.5 meters; The net storage space required must be increased by approximately 100 percent to allow for handling; The depth of shelving and the resulting walkways between shelves will often determine the additional storage space available for handling; Future program expansion should be taken into consideration when defining the total space requirement. Manager's Checklist for an Acceptable Storage Facility Transporting Contraceptives Proper and timely transportation of contraceptive supplies is of critical importance to every family planning program. Even when staffing, equipment, and storage needs are organized efficiently, family planning programs cannot serve their clients if their shipments of contraceptives do not arrive on time because of transportation problems. Program managers must make sure to allocate adequate resources for transportation. A family planning program has three major alternatives when planning a transportation system:
Three types of transportation systems		A program-owned transportation system purchases its own vehicle to transport contraceptives to and from the warehouse and distribution outlets. This provides: Greater control over receipt and delivery Greater flexibility in scheduling shipments A reduced need for commercial transportation in rural locations A commercial transportation system hires a commercial vehicle or uses public transportation to transport contraceptives. Its advantages are: Simplified administration, since the program is not responsible for operating and repairing vehicles or hiring drivers; Savings in capital investment in vehicles and repair facilities; Greater flexibility and capacity for handling different sizes of shipments. A combination of program-owned and commercial transportation may have special advantages in some situations. For example, a manager could use commercial transportation to transfer large quantities of contraceptives and program vehicles to transport smaller quantities of contraceptives between regional warehouses and outlets. It may also be to the program's advantage to use commercial carriers to transport contraceptives to remote distribution points, but cheaper and easier to use project vehicles in urban areas. Managing Inventory: Maintaining Adequate Supply Levels Maintaining adequate supply levels to prevent the disastrous consequences of stockouts is a significant challenge for all managers at every level of the system. Having a basic understanding of inventory management will enable managers to determine the appropriate minimum and maximum supply levels, reorder intervals, and reorder levels so that there are always adequate quantities of supplies on hand. Inventory management also helps to reduce the occurrence of contraceptive expiration or deterioration on the shelf. By using the inventory management technique First-to-Expire, First-Out (FEFO), managers can keep up-to-date, high-quality contraceptives on hand for distribution to their clients and help to prevent theft and mismanagement of supplies.
Push versus pull supply systems		The system of dispensing or receiving contraceptives from a warehouse tens to fall into one of two categories, the "push" or "pull" inventory supply system. A push system distributes supplies to another warehouse or outlet without receiving requisition orders. Decisions on the timing and quantity of shipments are made by higher-level managers or by the shipper. The pull system requires that outlets request the amount of commodities they need from higher-level storage facilities. Decisions on the timing and quantity of shipments are made by local-level managers or by the recipients of the products. The main difference between the two systems lies in who makes the decision concerning the distribution of supplies. In the push system, distribution decisions are made by those who develop commodity policies. The quantities distributed are usually based on reports. Decisions are usually based on specific characteristics of the system and specific program objectives. In the pull system, the outlets are responsible for ordering supplies based on their specific requirements.