• Editors' Summary
• Credits

1. A New Look at Logistics
2. Clients Come First
3. People and Performance
4. The Role of Information
5. Forecasting and Procurement
6. Distribution
• Streamlining Distribution
• Improving Storage
• Managing Inventory Better
• Managing Transportation
7. Toward Contraceptive Security

• Figures
• Tables
• Side-bars
• Bibliography

• Programs face funding crisis
• Benefits of better logistics
• Improving staff performance
• Tips on building policy support
• Checklist: Assessing the supply chain
• How to make accurate forecasts
• Push or pull distribution
• The commercial sector can help

• POPLINE
• Media/Materials Clearinghouse
• Other issues
• To order copies
• CCP Home Page

This issue of Population Reports was prepared in collaboration with the DELIVER Project of John Snow, Inc.

Published by the Population Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA

Contraceptive supplies are stored at every level in the supply chain. Storage facilities include warehouses at central and intermediate levels, storerooms, clinics, depot holders, even the shoulder bags of health workers—wherever contraceptives are re-ceived, kept, handled, and issued.

Ensuring that clients re-ceive an uninterrupted supply of good-quality contraceptives depends on keeping supplies secure, free from damage by insects, rodents, and other pests, and away from environmental hazards. Contraceptives should be stored away from excessive heat, direct sunlight, and water (14, 25, 48, 103). The storage area should be clean and well ventilated. Supplies should be organized and stacked to minimize damage (25, 48, 103, 137).

The potential for product loss or damage due to pests is a problem at many contraceptive storage facilities (111). Preventive measures include regularly inspecting storage facilities and designing or modifying them to keep pests out and to avoid conditions favorable to infestation. Programs considering the use of chemical pesticides should consult with country or regional experts. In many cases, nonchemical solutions are appropriate; if mice are the problem, getting a cat may be the best solution (101).

A good storekeeping practice is to organize large warehouses by product “velocity”—that is, to store high-demand products in the most accessible locations and store slower-moving items in the back or on the highest shelves (36, 137). This practice gives supply room staff quick access to the most popular products.

Discarding supplies that are damaged, expired, or no longer needed is a low-cost way to increase usable space and to improve efficiency (84, 124). Staff can manage their storage sites and service delivery points better when they have simple written guidelines regarding the disposal of unneeded, damaged, expired, or otherwise unusable products (14, 25). In many countries, however, disposal procedures are so complex that they are never carried out.

Theft also can disrupt the flow of contraceptives through the family planning supply chain. Many countries face theft of contraceptives. In Bangladesh, for example, all levels of the supply chain reported that theft was a problem, especially theft of the injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera. In response, the Directorate of Family Planning reduced the amount of time that contraceptives remained in storage and made it more difficult for people to enter storage facilities. All regional and district storage facilities were locked, and all padlocks were closed with signed paper, wax, and string that had to be broken to gain access to the stock (83). Programs must seek to balance protection from theft with ease of access by staff.

FPLM/JSI

Lack of adequate storage can mean that contraceptive supplies are spoiled and wasted. Keeping supplies secure is key.