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Emergency Supply Chain Preparedness and Response .

Toolkit | July 31, 2020

When it comes to emergency supply chain management, a little preparedness goes a long way. This Emergency Supply Chain Toolkit helps countries prepare for and deploy the necessary systems and tools to respond to major disruptions.

In 2017, Chemonics joined the Global Health Security Agenda, a partnership of nearly 50 nations, international organizations, and non-governmental stakeholders, to help countries better prepare for pandemic and epidemic outbreaks. Research has shown that planning for and investing in emergency preparedness in advance – and building resilient supply chains – reduces the amount of response funds needed and allows for a quick response to control, contain, and, hopefully, stop a disease before it spreads. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, the stakes have become particularly high for countries that have not prepared their supply chains in advance for major disruptions. As resources like fuel, vehicles, and healthy staff become harder to access or mobilize, the health system’s ability to provide routine health care will face greater challenges that require even stronger systems. The Emergency Supply Chain (ESC) Playbook offers a practical guide to help countries prepare for and deploy the necessary systems and tools to respond to major disruptions. The Playbook was first developed by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Technical Assistance Francophone Task Order implemented by Chemonics in Cameroon, with support and funding from USAID and the Global Health Security Agenda. The Playbook has already been implemented in several countries, including Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.