U.S. Donates Equipment, Vehicles worth $1.7 Million for Distribution of Medical Supplies

Mr. Jason Fraser hands over the truck keys to Dr. Kebede Worku

(L to R) Dr. Negussu Mekonnen – Chief of Party MSH Ethiopia, Mr. Jason Fraser, Dr. Kebede Worku – State Minister of Health, Sheri-Nouane Duncan-Jones - Deputy HAPN & HIV/AIDS Team Leader, Ato Wondwossen Ayele Deputy Director General of PFSA

Addis Ababa, June 7, 2011:  The U.S. Government donated US $1.7 million in equipment and vehicles to the Federal Ministry of Health’s Pharmaceutical Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) through funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Supply Chain Management System project provided the equipment in support of the Ministry’s implementation of the National Pharmaceutical Logistics Master Plan to help strengthen public sector capacity to safely and efficiently distribute products for Ethiopian health care programs, including HIV/AIDS.
The donation consists of four forty-ton trucks, five motorbikes, four mobile cold rooms, and a ten-module flat pack office set.  The donation also includes adjustable storage racks, conveyors and generators to be used in existing and leased warehouses throughout the country.
The Pharmaceutical Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) will use the trucks and motorbikes to collect data and transport drugs and commodities to central and regional warehouses, ensuring an uninterrupted supply of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, reproductive health, and other essential medial commodities.  The conveyors, cold rooms, storage racks and other warehousing equipment will greatly increase the operational capacity of the warehouses, the quality of cold chain products storage and the efficiency of the PFSA throughout the country.  USAID has also leased additional warehouse spaces for PFSA to address the scale-up needs of HIV/AIDS and other health programs, including at locations in Addis Ababa, Jimma and Dire Dawa.
At the handover ceremony, Acting USAID Mission Director Jason Fraser said, “The Supply Chain Management System project directly supports the Government of Ethiopia and benefits the entire health system. Overall, the U.S. Government has agreed to provide more than $6 million in additional support and technical assistance to the GOE’s Pharmaceutical Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) through this project.”  USAID will continue to strengthen PFSA’s central and regional hub capacity to handle special logistics needs for laboratory supplies, inventory and forecasting of supplies, and coordination of the logistics plan.
Since 2004, USAID with PEPFAR funding has supported Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen national commodities logistics systems by seconding technical, clinical, and management support staff, as well as training, procurement and system design for the development and implementation of the National Pharmaceutical Logistics Master Plan.
Celebrating 50 years of cooperation and progress with the Ethiopian people in 2011, USAID-Ethiopia invests in people and institutions to fight poverty through better health, education, food security, and economic opportunity for all.