Dr. Umaru's Blog on Health & Development

In my last posting, I discussed supply chain epidemiology, concepts and practice - and received a lot of commendation for the initiation of this topic. I am excited that within the fraternity, we are building consensus on the need to expand the scope of the supply chain in responding to disease prevention and control. I am particularly interested in how we can demonstrate that supply chain principles can have or are having a significant impact on disease prevention. It is only when we are able to quantitatively demonstrate the relationship between supply chain practices and disease prevention that we can make a meaningful impact on global public health practice. Today, I trace the historical application of supply chain principles to private and industrial organization's performance. I will also highlight the practical perspective of the application of supply chain principles to healthcare. Whiles at it, I will demonstrate the theoretical challenges of using the supply chain to dise...

In 2015, I published a series of articles reflecting on a new area of my work I called supply chain epidemiology. I reflected on what it was, what it can do, and why it is needed to be part of the overall health system strengthening approach and, more importantly, to be part of the global health practices. In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the stress it had on the global pharmaceutical supply chain, I decided to revisit those articles and reflect on them again. I am posting those articles as were written in 2015 which will be followed by a blog on the next generation of public health practices. "In recent years, the role of the supply chain in public health disease prevention and control has received limited attention. Even though supply chain research in the private sector has produced substantial input into a firm's profitability, competitive advantage, and return-on-investment, this concept is yet to receive the desired attention in public health. As a result, the...

Today, I reflect on the ongoing COVID-19 and the efforts, the resources, and the finances that are committed to addressing the impact of the pandemic on lower and middle-income countries, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). A couple of these countries have done very well in controlling the effect of the pandemic on their population. These countries are Rwanda,  South Africa, Egypt, and Ghana with a very strong leadership commitment to protecting their population from the impact of the pandemic. Other countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, and Cameroon are on the trajectory of controlling the pandemic in their respective economies. These countries have the advantage of learning from other Africa Union member states on strategies and approaches to bring the pandemic under control. It may be that the impact of the pandemic was not as predicted in Africa, but suffice to predict that a long term exists strategic approach is needed for Africa to sustainably come of the current and fut...