Channel management services

Improving access to health products, one channel at a time

PFSCM creates partnerships and establishes channel management strategies to improve access to health products, lower costs, and drive efficiencies throughout the health supply chain.

What we do

We partner with pharmaceutical and medical device suppliers and non-profit health delivery organizations to manage and optimize their distribution channels for health products destined for low- and middle-income countries.

We help develop mechanisms or channels that give buyers and beneficiaries access to new and/or donated products and help producers enter new markets in a fast and affordable way.

We incorporate channel management services into our broader procurement services offering and can provide our clients with standalone services or complete supply chain solutions.

PFSCM’s channel management services

Landscape assessments

We assess local market dynamics to develop pragmatic solutions and leverage local capacity for resilience.

We use our in-depth knowledge of the critical factors that impact supply chains in the local economy, such as country-specific policies and regulations, to work efficiently with LMICs.

We help stakeholders understand the landscape, ensuring sustainable, fit-for-purpose products and solutions are readily available.

Forecasting, demand, and supply planning

We connect demand with supply and provide our clients with accurate, timely forecast, stock, order and shipment data.

We help supply chain stakeholders use the facts to take control of production scheduling, better manage shipments, and reduce inventory stockouts and product obsolescence.

Implementation of channel management strategies

We help health product manufacturers and other organizations make their products and services available across borders, whether those are donated, funded, or paid for domestically.

We specialize in building strong supplier bases, and we strengthen relationships with suppliers by entering into long-term price and/or volume agreements, facilitating all-inclusive or rental agreements between partners, and initiating inter-company financing arrangements.

Procurement services

We navigate the market on behalf of clients, providing access to the best quality health products from a wide network of quality-assured local and international suppliers.

We manage the entire transactional procurement process, from product quality assurance, order fulfillment and delivery, supplier relationship, and financial management.

Logistical support

As a carrier-neutral 4PL services provider, we combine tools, technology, data, experience, and governance to optimize our clients’ supply chains.

We oversee the entire transportation process using a standardized governance framework to measure and manage the performance of freight forwarders and warehousing partners.

Transparency and accountability

We continually monitor and evaluate the performance of the supply chain and channel strategies.

We use digital solutions to capture relevant information at critical milestones in the supply chain. Using this data, stakeholders can assess channel strategies and adjust them in line with market changes.

Solutions

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Needs assessments

2

We work closely with clients to understand their needs and help align partners to ensure the best programmatic and health outcomes in line with country requirements.

3

Experience and expertise

2

We have served more than 100 LMICs and have extensive experience in developing access strategies that are cost-effective, prevent wastage, and provide ease of management and oversight.

3

Technology, digital tools

2

We use our One Network Control Tower to improve supply chain visibility and streamline collaboration among stakeholders. Through the Control Tower, we have automated many of our processes for faster, smarter customer service.

3

Data

2

We use various digital tools to capture and analyze the wealth of information produced by the health supply chain. We use this data to manage risk and guide channel and access strategies.

3

Processes

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Our QMS is ISO 9001:2015 certified, and our procurement process aligns with ISO 20400:2017 for Sustainable Procurement.

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Partners

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We combine the skills of people, the structure of processes, and advancements in digital tools, such as Supplier Relationship Management systems, to strengthen relationships.

Impact story: Janssen New Horizons Collaboration

The New Horizons: Advancing Pediatric HIV Collaborative was formed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson in 2014, with expert input from many stakeholders involved in pediatric HIV care, treatment, and prevention.

The New Horizon program addresses the need for lifesaving third-line antiretroviral drugs in sub-Saharan Africa and least-developed countries (LDCs). The program provides access to HIV health products and strengthens the public health system to care for and treat adolescents and children living with HIV.

PFSCM is responsible for forecasting, validation, coordination, and order placement activities to ensure donated pediatric HIV medicines—such as Janssen Therapeutics’ Prezista and Intelence—reach recipients in ten Sub-Saharan countries on time and in full with their integrity intact.

Since the start of the initiative, PFSCM has supported Janssen with an access strategy and channel management services for products that the manufacturer donates to Congo Brazzaville, Cameroon, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Channel management services and strategies include:

Demand forecasting and the validation thereof.
Coordination of orders, order placement, and fulfillment through a reliable procurement mechanism.
Logistics coordination and delivery of donated products to recipient countries and further downstream distribution.

Further, in collaboration with JSI and its affiliates InSupply in East Africa and JSI Zambia, PFSCM provided on-the-ground supply chain monitoring (M&E) and evaluation for the New Horizons Collaborative countries.

The M&E initiative assessed and measured in-country supply chain processes, systems, and performances and collected data to identify performance gaps. PFSCM assisted countries in setting appropriate performance targets and made recommendations for improvements that enabled countries to meet and exceed targets.

In addition, PFSCM worked with partners to develop tailored Technical Assistance plans for each country. All the activities were country-led to ensure ownership and sustainability of the program. Combining a pragmatic approach with a system-wide focus provides the most significant short- and long-term impact.

Meanwhile, since 2014, PFSCM has delivered $114 million worth of donated pediatric HIV products on behalf of Janssen.

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