In the context of humanitarian emergencies, health facilities often face significant challenges in managing stock levels, ensuring timely replenishment, and tracking essential supplies. Traditional, paper-based systems are prone to errors, delays, and inefficiencies, which ultimately impact patient care and health outcomes.
To address these challenges and improve stock visibility, planning, and optimization in supported health facilities, the ICRC developed the Pharmacy Stock Management (PSM). The PSM started out as a bottom-up innovation from the field. It was an excel-based solution but since the needs were common across different contexts, the ICRC built a custom app on DHIS2 to support scale up. DHIS2 was selected as an open-source platform, with offline capability, mobile accessibility, and interoperability with other IT systems at ICRC. It also provided compatibility with several Ministry of Health information systems in case of having to plan for a responsible handover or exit.
After an 18-month pre-pilot in Somalia the PSM was deployed in six countries in 2022 and scaled to 102 health facilities in 2023. The PSM improved health service delivery and health supply availability. ICRC estimated that the use of PSM app led to 30% of savings of stock value per site and efficiency gains of 10-15% per year per resource. As of January 2025, it is now active in 98 sites (including primary health care facilities and hospitals) across 12 countries with 390 active users.
Once the application was stable, the ICRC donated the source code to the University of Oslo (UiO), which built on it to develop the native DHIS2 version—now a global public good. The solution includes DHIS2-RTS, a real-time stock management system that allows DHIS2 users to capture supply quantities distributed from the pharmacy, stock losses, and stock corrections by using a mobile device and scanning barcodes.
Here’s a look at how the PSM standardized medical stock management transformed paper-based systems into digital, with improved stock visibility, planning, and optimization:
Labels with barcodes enable quick scanning for faster, more accurate data entry in the PSM system, streamlining stock management.
The stock management process has four steps:
- Record data on the tablet : At the end of the month, the storekeeper or pharmacist enters consumption and stock-on-hand data into the DHIS2 stock management system through a tablet or computer. Stock items can easily be found by scanning barcodes.
PSM provides three key stock management actions—distribution, counting, and discarding—along with item search via text input and barcode scanning for efficiency.
- Sync data on DHIS2 web/desktop : Data entered by storekeepers and pharmacists are synchronized and visible in real time through DHIS2 web-based applications.
- Order : The stock data automatically appear in the ordering system, which uses an embedded formula to calculate quantities when medical storekeepers or managers place their orders.
- Monitor stock : The stock management information feeds into institutional dashboards, which generate analytics and graphs used to make stock management decisions.
What changed for the users?
The implementation of PSM has improved stock management processes within health facilities. Before the digital system, the ordering process took 3 to 4 hours each month. However, after the introduction of PSM, orders can now be placed in less than 30 minutes.
Stock data is now automatically updated in the ordering system, eliminating manual data entry, and significantly reducing the risk of errors. The result is faster, more accurate stock replenishment, ensuring that health facilities are consistently well-stocked with the supplies needed to care for patients.
The benefits of the PSM Tool have been immediately evident to its users:
- Improved Stock Visibility: Health facilities now have real-time access to accurate stock levels, helping them avoid shortages and stockouts.
- Timely Replenishment: Supplies are kept on track, and stock replenishment is completed more quickly and efficiently.
- Increased Efficiency: The streamlined ordering process has freed up valuable time for staff, enabling them to focus on other essential tasks.
- Better Decision-Making: Institutional dashboards and data analytics provide program managers and pharmacists with the insights they need to make informed decisions about stock management.
In line with the ICRC technology strategy, which promotes the use of opensource software, the PSM project, delivered a sustainable solution in collaboration with UiO. The integration of DHIS2’s open-source platform has turned the tool into a global public good, allowing other organizations to adopt and collaborate to enhance the system and foster greater collaboration and innovation.
Bonus benefit: digital health and climate change
In addition, a pilot study conducted by UNIGE in Nigeria and Somalia found that the deployment of PSM reduced carbon emissions from humanitarian health operations by 557 kgCO₂, demonstrating the potential of digital health solutions to address environmental challenges in low-resource settings. By improving stock visibility and streamlining ordering processes, PSM reduced emissions from travel, waste disposal, and supply transportation, while also decreasing stockouts and enhancing operational efficiency. Although the introduction of tablets added some emissions, the displacement of other technology led to an overall significant reduction in the carbon footprint of these operations. As one of the first studies to evaluate the climate impact of a digital health tool across multiple facilities in such settings, this analysis provides valuable insights into the environmental benefits of integrating digital health technology into humanitarian health systems.
Muhda Primary Health Care Center, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Checks are run to make sure local partners can see if pharmaceutical products are in stock. Photo: Ahmed Balama
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