Ensuring Last Mile Availability And Avoiding Wastage of Family Planning Commodities – Experience From Rajasthan
Supply chain and logistic activities play an important role in ensuring a continuous availability of family planning commodities and providing a diverse mix of options, so each client can select one that works for him/her. When reliable supply of family planning (FP) methods is ensured, clients are more likely to use them regularly. Lack of availability of FP commodities can also lead to unintended pregnancy. In the state of Rajasthan, there have been significant improvement in the uptake of FP services; however, it was observed that at times there were stock outs of FP commodities at field level though stocks were available in district stores or nearby facilities. Also, in absence of information related to consumption of FP commodities in particular facilities or in particular areas, stocks were provided in uniform quantity to all facilities and field level staffs; this led to overstock in few cases and stock out in other cases. In order to address these challenges and ensure the availability of FP commodities at all levels, development of a Contraceptive Logistics Management Information System (CLMIS) named e-saadhan for FP commodities was undertaken in the state. It was launched in 2016 in the state.
e-saadhan is a web-based CLIMS which deals with collection, processing, and reporting of family planning commodities’ data to ensure the tracking of supply chain accurately and on a real time basis, which reduces supply imbalances and regulates the flow of contraceptives at different levels. e-saadhan provides accurate, timely, and appropriate data to the decision makers at all levels of the supply chain of FP commodities. It also helps in regulating the supply chain operations and flow of products from the state to the last facility and field level staffs.
Benefits of e-saadhan
Reach till the last mile. All ASHAs (field level staffs) of Rajasthan (approx. 48,000) and all sub-centers of Rajasthan (approx. 14,000) were added in software as family planning commodities were issued to them through e-saadhan, to ensure availability of family planning commodities in the community.
Easy and robust monitoring. e-saadhan is useful for state and district level officials in monitoring the status of family planning commodities through auto-generated dashboard indicators and various reports.
Reduced stock out and wastage of family planning commodity. Reports generated through e-saadhan helped to reduce stock out conditions and wastage of commodities due to expiry. Based on these reports, state and districts level officials followed-up with the concerned staffs for reduction in stock out and expiry of FP commodities.
Ensures availability of contraceptives. e-saadhan ensured timely availability of contraceptives thus contributing in increasing its usage.
Low-cost and optimum utilization of resources. Software was rolled out by using the existing manpower, infrastructure, and hardware available in the health facilities hence no additional cost was incurred.
e-saadhan has reduced reporting time and ensured accuracy in record keeping and reporting. It has also helped in identifying cases of data fudging/fraud at the facilities as the utilization was matched with the supply.
Replication of e-saadhan
A team from MoHFW and other development partners visited Rajasthan to observe the design and implementation of e-saadhan. The team appreciated the initiative undertaken by the health department in the state and based on the learning, development of a Family Planning Logistics Management Information System (FPLMIS) was undertaken by MoHFW. The FPLMIS is now being rolled-out throughout the country.
