Date: August 24, 2011
Source: www.essentialdrugs.org
Link: www.essentialdrugs.org/edrug/archive/201108/msg00042.php

Dear E-Drug Subscribers,

A free online training course on Procurement and Supply Management (PSM) for pharmaceuticals was launched on August 19 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The online training course, Introduction to Procurement and Supply Management for Pharmaceuticals,<http://www.sifylivewire.com/undp/> is open to anyone interested or specialized in procurement and supply chain management for Global Fund health programmes by simply accessing the training website<http://www.sifylivewire.com/undp/>.

The course has been developed to help participants acquire the basics on PSM, learn more about health products and better manage procurement and quality assurance processes. This online training course will contribute to ensuring uninterrupted supply of quality medicines and health products, which is critical in the success of the Global Fund programmes. Supply of goods can also easily absorb 50% of the grant budget, and thus, it requires the priority attention of the management.

The course has been developed as a collaborative effort. World Health Organisation’s AIDS Medicines and Diagnostics Service (AMDS)<http://www.who.int/hiv/amds/en/> and the partners of its network for supply management of HIV commodities have largely contributed to the source text and validated the technical document in 2010.

This 12-hour course consists of Product Selection, Quantification, Procurement, Inventory Management, Quality Assurance and PSM Tool Box. Each lesson can be run individually and at the pace of the individual. The Course can be accessed here: http://www.sifylivewire.com/undp/

Contact: Volker Welter, Senior Procurement Advisor of UNDP, at Volker.Welter@undp.org<mailto:Volker.Welter@undp.org> or Guy Rino Meyers, Procurement Advisor, at guy.rino.meyers@undp.org<mailto:guy.rino.meyers@undp.org> with any questions you may have.

Morana Song (Ms.)

Communication Consultant

Procurement Support Office (PSO) / Bureau of Management (BoM)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

17th Floor, DC-1 Bldg.

One UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017

Tel. No. +1 (212) 906 5718