ARC, as a key partner to health ministries across Africa, focuses on transforming and strengthening health product supply chains, from the point of manufacture to the last mile.
ARC, as a key partner to health ministries across Africa, focuses on transforming and strengthening health product supply chains, from the point of manufacture to the last mile.
This mapping initiative is part of ARC’s mission to ensure the quality of health products throughout the entire supply chain, ensuring they are stored and delivered under optimal conditions.
Health products must meet specific quality standards, as outlined in pharmacopeias or manufacturer dossiers, to ensure their effectiveness and safety. These standards include requirements regarding external appearance, physicochemical properties, and critical storage conditions like temperature and humidity levels. Inadequate storage can degrade the quality of these products, jeopardizing the safety and success of treatments.
the Beninese company for the supply of health products – SoBAPS S.A., established by Decree No. 2020-324 of June 24, 2020, is tasked with the supply, storage, and wholesale distribution of health products in Benin. Its mission is to make health products accessible to the population at affordable prices.
Following a 2023 inspection by the Beninese Agency for Medicines and Other Health Products (ABMed), it became clear that updated temperature and humidity mapping was needed in SoBAPS’ storage facilities.
Hence ARC’s primary goal was to strengthen SoBAPS S.A. staff’s capabilities in mapping warehouse temperatures and humidity levels, ultimately contributing to the safe and effective storage of health products.
This has been put in place through 2 phases.
Phase 1: SoBAPS S.A. Mapping Support – Equipment Reception
As part of the broader initiative to build the capacity of SoBAPS S.A. staff in mapping temperatures and relative humidity levels in warehouses, Africa Resource Center (ARC) facilitated the acquisition of advanced equipment on Monday, July 22, 2024, on behalf of SoBAPS S.A. in Benin. This marks a crucial step in ensuring the safe storage of health products, preserving their quality and efficacy throughout the supply chain.
Phase 2: SoBAPS S.A. Mapping Support – Practical Training
Following the acquisition of the necessary equipment, SoBAPS S.A. staff underwent hands-on training from July 29 to August 2, 2024. The training aimed to further build the capacity of SoBAPS’ team by dividing participants into two technical working groups. One group focused on mapping in a dry storage environment (ambient temperature), while the other group conducted mapping in a cold room (with temperatures maintained between +2°C and +8°C). Both groups worked under the guidance of an expert consultant.
The training sessions covered the following key areas:
- Utilization of the Log-Tag Trix-8 for temperature and humidity data recording.
- Mastery of cold room temperature mapping techniques.
- Development of 3D visual presentations based on the mapping data.
With the support of Africa resource Centre, the General Management has developed a schedule for mapping implementation.
At the end of the training, participants presented, discussed and validated their technical reports. Upon successful completion of the post-training test, they received certificates co-signed by Dr. Ibnou Diaw, ARC co-CEO, and the General Management of SoBAPS S.A.
Looking Ahead
As part of this initiative, one central warehouse and a cold storage facility at a regional SoBAPS S.A. agency have already been mapped. The data collected by the Log-Tag Trix-8 is currently being analyzed, and the full report will soon be available. This data will be instrumental in ensuring that SoBAPS continues to store health products under the best conditions, maintaining their integrity and effectiveness.
For further information, please contact Emmanuel Tossou Yaovi, Lead Country/ARC Benin, at emmanuel@africaresourcecentre.org.
This capacity-building initiative reflects ARC’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the efficiency and safety of health product supply chains across Africa. Through this collaboration, SoBAPS S.A. is better equipped to manage critical storage conditions, safeguarding the health products that serve the people of Benin.
