The Role of the eELMIS as a Tool of Public Health Emergency Supply Chain Management during Uganda’s COVID-19 Emergency Response
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
Abstract
After registering its first Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on 21st March 2020, Uganda’s Ministry of Health
(MoH) declared the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Uganda, triggering activation of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) supply
chain system. At the center of Uganda’s PHE supply chain system lies a robust electronic information system known as the electronic
Emergency Logistics Management Information System (eELMIS). This paper describes in detail the role of the eELMIS as a tool of
supply chain management during Uganda’s COVID-19 emergency response. All the key functionalities and activities supported by the
eELMIS were examined. Through the eELMIS, movement of COVID-19 Medical countermeasures (MCMs) was tracked for 16
Regional referral hospitals (RRHs), 8 regional prepositioning centers, 28 high risk districts, more than 80 public hospitals, 71
quarantine centers, and 54 points of entry (PoE). A total of 254 orders for COVID-19 MCMs were processed and fully issued through
the eELMIS to ensure constant availability of MCMs at frontlines. Quantification, forecasting and pipeline monitoring for the entire
country was successfully conducted through the eELMIS. Real time data visibility of COVID-19 supplies at treatment centers, district
stores, regional prepositioning centers, central warehouses and partner stores was ensured. The eELMIS further provided routine
reports to the Logistic subcommittee (LSC) on the country’s emergency stock-status, stock gap analysis, and national aggregate stock to
support top management decision making for the country. In conclusion, the eELMIS formed the backbone of a seamless COVID-19
supply chain emergency response for Uganda, linking the national level, sub-national levels, and health facilities and hence improving
response time. This paper therefore shares Uganda’s experiences in using the eELMIS as a tool of supply chain management during
Uganda’s COVID-19 pandemic response from which other countries without established emergency electronic logistic information
systems to support their existing health supply chain systems can learn from.
Description
Keywords
eELMIS, Public health emergency, Health supply chain system, Information system, COVID-19 emergency preparedness and response, Uganda
Citation
Wasswa, JH, Oteba, M., Kavuma, M., Muwanguzi, S., Katumba, A., Oundo, H., ... & Jakira, A. (2020). The Role of the eELMIS as a Tool of Public Health Emergency Supply Chain Management during Uganda's COVID-19 Emergency Response. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) , 9 (8), 10-21275. DOI: 10.21275/SR20619194542