The Center for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain – Africa (CARISCA), has recently held its maiden virtual meeting with the Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association (PIWA).
The meeting included representatives from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Arizona State University (ASU) and Pharmaceutical Importers and Wholesalers Association (PIWA). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss appropriate measures to be taken to ensure the realization of the aims and objectives of the project.
CARISCA, aims at building the capabilities of KNUST as well as promoting and exchanging ideas between ASU and KNUST. As part of its aim, the project, he added, would also focus on significantly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of supply chain in health, agricultural and other supply chains (SC). Looking into the efficiency and effectiveness of SC in health especially in Africa, is a dominating concern for the project.
Mr. Joe Fiifi Yamoah, Executive Secretary- PIWA, noted that Ghana has its own challenge regarding health supply chain specifically in warehousing of health products, procurement as well as lack of integration within and across the supply chain system of which needs to be solved. Therefore, strengthening health supply chain would increase integration efforts, create visibility through supply chain digitization, provide alternative supply chain financing options and also create systems to enhance procurement transparency.
The team would therefore focus on bringing in solutions to issues related to health in SC by prioritizing the training of staff in supply chain and procurement management and management of an effective warehouse and store as well as creating access to industrial data.
Professor Nathaniel Boso, Principal Investigator, CARISCA, in his remarks noted that the project is in line with KNUST’s vision of becoming a research-intensive institution and thus, stressed on the importance of the project. According to him, research conducted in this field would be translated into solutions to solve challenges in health supply chains. He pledged KNUST’s dedication in pursing the center’s target of introducing high degree innovations in the supply chain system across several productive centers in Africa.
Stakeholders were urged to come together and work hard for the betterment of the project. It is hopeful that the collective efforts of the team would push the Center closer to achieving its aim.