Humanitarian Supply Management System
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FINAL REPORT SUMA Project June 2000 – June 2001 FUNDESUMA Contents
Introduction and Brief History of the Project Based in San José, Costa Rica, the SUMA Humanitarian Supply Management Project was launched formally in 1992, sponsored by the government of the Netherlands. It focused initially on the management of health supplies after a disaster. However, as the project evolved in response to the needs of participating countries, it came to cover the integral management of all humanitarian supplies in a multisectoral and interdisciplinary fashion. During the 2000-2001 period, it received modest funding from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and DIPECHO to carry out response-team training and implementation activities in the Caribbean and the Andean region. To date, the principal donor continues to be the Netherlands, although its most recent grant will conclude this year. The SUMA Project’s first phase of formal operations lasted from 1992 to 1997. The second phase, which began in 1997, concludes this year: 2001. A full analysis of the work carried out over the two phases is included at the end of this report. From June 2000 to June 2001, the contract with FUNDESUMA concentrated on the following activities:
During the first phase of the Project, the first version of the software (released finally as version 4.1) was designed. All participating countries received training in its use—Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as the English-speaking Caribbean. Training activities included the production and publication of the corresponding software manuals, print tutorials, and audiovisual material in English and Spanish. Major emergency stockpiles were set up in three strategically placed countries—Barbados, Costa Rica, and Ecuador—and the national SUMA teams were also established. Consisting almost exclusively of volunteers, the teams are either mobilized within their own country or, when needed, travel to foreign disaster areas to support the work of the local SUMA team. By and large, national teams are expected to cover the needs of their own country. However, in the case of small countries, or of disasters spanning several countries, as with Hurricane Mitch, support from neighboring countries is both necessary and welcome. After testing the software in several operations, the experiences accrued in different countries were analyzed to produce a new version of the software: SUMA 4.2. The manuals were also modified to reflect the improvements in the program, and the new version was distributed and accompanied by a new cycle of training. By that point, the software was being utilized not only by all the participating countries but also by several international NGOs, and intergovernmental agencies such as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Food Program (WFP). A new version, 5.0, introduced substantial modifications, such as the inclusion of a warehouse management module to help emergency and disaster management agencies with routine procurement and stockpiling tasks. By the time the first phase of the Project concluded in March 1997, the following targets had been met successfully: A significant increase in the interest of countries in emergency supply management—an issue that is now firmly present on national policy-making agendas. A much greater interest by international agencies—both multilateral and bilateral—in the issue, and from a two-fold perspective: as an item on their own internal agendas, and as part of their discussions with recipient countries in order to ensure the greatest possible effectiveness, transparency and accountability in their use of donations. A critical mass of nearly 1,700 individuals trained in the methodology throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, representing a variety of sectors and hierarchical levels within both public and private institutions. From March 1997 to March 1998, the Project focused on providing training for users of the recently launched version 5.0 of the software, helping respond to several emergency situations in the region, implementing the system where needed, making the methodology available to a greater number of institutions and countries, raising awareness of the importance of proper supply management at different levels, and gradually implementing the recommendations of an evaluation mission that assessed the impact of the Project in 1996 with the participation of experts from several UN agencies and the financial support of the Netherlands and Canada. In mid 1998, a new upgrade was distributed: version 5.1, similar to the previous version except for a series of changes to make the software more user-friendly. This version, including the manuals, was launched in four different languages: Spanish, English, French and Portuguese. In addition, the full package (the software, the manuals and the training material) was made available on the SUMA Web site, were it could be downloaded by anyone. Also in 1998, a project was carried out jointly with ECHO. It was aimed particularly at integral supply management for non-governmental organizations. This activity made it possible to coordinate efforts between the two initiatives, optimizing the use of resources, expanding the number of trainees and training opportunities, and strengthening coordination with government agencies. In mid 1999, a first version for Microsoft Windows was produced. It runs on Windows 3.x, 95, 98 and 98 2nd Edition, the latter version having been debugged and published in December of that year. Once again, it was available for download from the Web site in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese, the four official PAHO/WHO languages. This version has not yet been certified for the Windows 2000, Millennium or NT platforms. Coordination with Other Institutions in the 2000-2001 Period In May 2000, SUMA participated in the Second Pan-American Congress of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM). In addition to the academic benefits of attending this event, a great deal of information was exchanged with designers and manufacturers of interactive training media. This was an extremely valuable experience, since an effort was then underway by SUMA to explore new training media and methodologies in order to reduce costs and increase coverage. As a result of this activity, and the contacts with CDMHA that are described below, Project staff concluded that training would definitely have to incorporate interactive media in the future. Between May and June 2000, Tulane University’s Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CDMHA) was actively involved in supporting the Project by developing SUMA and MISE training materials employing E-Class, an interactive multimedia technology they had designed. A demonstration CD-ROM was produced by the CDMHA with FUNDESUMA’s extensive input. Given the highly satisfactory results, future training initiatives will almost certainly consider E-Class as the medium of choice for interactive electronic material. In June 2000, a meeting was held with the recently established National Emergency Commission of Nicaragua (CNE-NIC) in order to introduce them to the SUMA Project, define the conditions for the future adoption of the methodology by CNE-NIC, and strive for the sustainability of SUMA training in that country. PAHO/WHO’s Country Office provided considerable support by sponsoring follow-up meetings, seminars, workshops, visits by consultants, and technical advice sessions. At present, Nicaragua has already created a National Emergency Supply Management System; its official will be in charge of institutionalizing the methodology and developing standards and procedures for all stakeholder agencies. At the same time, SUMA and FUNDESUMA partnered with the National Institute of Technology (INATEC) to train several trainers. As a result, INATEC currently provides ongoing training in the SUMA methodology—meaning that future training activities in that country will not require the presence of foreign trainers, or the availability of additional funding by international agencies. Also in June, in Antigua, Guatemala, SUMA participated in a meeting on health issues sponsored by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). In fact, most National Red Cross Societies in the region employ SUMA as their supply management software of choice, even though the IFRC has not made any formal recommendations or guidelines in this regard. At the meeting, various aspects of the use of SUMA in different situations were presented by the National Societies themselves. The outstanding level of mutual support and coordination with the Red Cross movement in the region is indeed noteworthy. In July 2000, SUMA staff participated in a meeting convened by the Center for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC) to discuss a Regional Manual on Disaster Response for local Ministries of Foreign Affairs (see Annex I). The use of SUMA was discussed as a standard for coordination among regional organizations in the management of emergency supplies, both as recipients and donors. A draft agreement was produced for consultation with governments; the final text was approved for ratification in October. A landmark for SUMA, this was the first time the System was chosen as the official coordination tool for an entire region. Given the growing role of the Central American Foreign Ministries in disaster coordination, it is encouraging to note that all countries in the region are in a better position now to discourage unwanted, wasteful donations and to provide prompt, transparent reports to donor nations, other friendly countries, and international agencies on the arrival and deployment of emergency supplies. In September, technical discussions were held with the Nicaraguan Red Cross and TecApro, a regional software firm that authored the BOS/Premium integrated administration program for handling accounting, payroll, procurement, and other standard business operations. BOS/Premium decided to included a supply management module from SUMA, to be used by the Nicaraguan Red Cross. The latter was interested in exchanging information between that program and SUMA databases, employing SUMA categories and sub-categories. It should be noted that the Nicaraguan Red Cross employs SUMA categories in its integrated information system. Meanwhile, the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health expressed its interest in adding a SUMA module to its National Health Information System (SIMINSA), as part of the Reform Program for the Health Sector that is being financed by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The module is at present being rewritten in Oracle, to make it compatible with SIMINSA and test its usefulness in real time. By incorporating a SUMA module into SIMINSA, it makes the methodology available throughout the Nicaraguan health sector, and ensures that trained technical personnel is always available to use the software anytime a disaster strikes. Also in September 2000, SUMA was the subject of a formal presentation at the LIDERES Course organized by PAHO/WHO in Quito, Ecuador. Such events help raise awareness among decision-makers and the public about the merits of the SUMA methodology, and help forge new contacts in each country. However, it's greatest value lies in showing participants what has been achieved in their own countries, reinforcing national coordination and networking. In December 2000, other coordination meetings took place between FUNDESUMA, the PAHO/WHO Country Office in Honduras, and the Catarino Rivas Hospital in San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ second largest city. The goal was to develop a plan for the comprehensive implementation of SUMA in two of the city’s hospitals for the management of health shipments and other emergency supplies. Courses were given at the two hospitals, computer equipment was purchased, and the system was installed on the new computers. Several follow-up activities were agreed upon. At the request of the users, some modifications were introduced into the system for the exclusive use of both hospitals, making it possible to meet certain specific needs. What is most remarkable is that the chief goal of the two health facilities was to use SUMA as a supply management system in normal conditions, not only for emergencies. Training was tailored to the use of the System in this everyday fashion, and it was also provided to PAHO/WHO administrative staff in the country so that they can offer additional support if needed. In March 2001, a visit to the Honduran Ministry of Health was organized to develop a SUMA module as part of that country’s new national health information system. The project was once again financed by the World Bank and the IDB. This makes it a total of two versions of SUMA that have been developed in computer languages different from the original: Oracle in Nicaragua and SQL in Honduras. While this specific project has not yet started, preparatory activities continue. That same month, a meeting was convened by PAHO/WHO with the support of ECHO to establish a rapid-response SUMA team for the Andean Region. The team—directly coordinated by PAHO/WHO—first intervened in an emergency in June, during the earthquake that hit Peru with devastating force that year. After Hurricane Georges ravaged the Dominican Republic, the country was granted several IDB emergency loans. One of them involved a SUMA component: organizing a department within the national emergency and disaster management agency that would focus on setting standards and procedures for emergency supply management. As part of the project, trainers were trained, and rapid response equipment was installed. The necessary technical cooperation was provided through guidance to IDB contractors, visits to the country, the production of various support materials, and the provision of the necessary documentation. The SUMA component of these emergency loans was completed in late July, and the challenge from then on was to follow-up on the initiative and reinforce the achievements so far. As initial measures, FUNDESUMA signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health’s Essential Drugs Program (PROMESE) (see Annex II), and another with the Dominican Red Cross (see Annex II). The main purpose is to provide the necessary technical guidance for institutionalizing the methodology in the two bodies’ administrative structures. Fuerzas Armadas Humanitarias (FA-HUM) is a humanitarian disaster relief executive-level seminar conducted annually by U.S. Army South. It is an exercise that brings together national authorities to carry out disaster response drills involving several countries in order to evaluate and improve response and assistance mechanisms. Since 1997, one year after the program began, organizers have required that participating agencies be trained in the SUMA methodology and apply it. This is an indirect measure of the impact that SUMA has had in these countries, since it has become the de facto standard. At FA-HUM 2001, held in Costa Rica with the participation of 36 nations from Latin America and the Caribbean, SUMA made its usual presentation and carried out its other habitual activities. Since July 2000, FUNDESUMA has been implementing several projects in the region for the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (OFDA-USAID). One of them is the Emergency Operations Management and Control Project (MACOE), aimed at improving and reinforcing the capacity and functions of Central America’s National Emergency Operation Management Centers by developing a common, standardized Action Plan for each country. FUNDESUMA has helped to incorporate emergency supply management as one of the critical issues on the MACOE agenda, and set some standards in this crucial respect. This guarantees a greater sustainability for the methodology among emergency response agencies. Meanwhile, the relationship with OFDA allowed FUNDESUMA to submit a project specifically aimed at improving supply management by reinforcing the logistics capacity of each country through the establishment of a National Emergency Supply Management Plan that employs SUMA as its chief tool, including its standards and procedures. The project, known as FOCAL (see Annex III), is in its preliminary stages in Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. It will later be extended to the other countries in the region. Integral Management of Emergency Supplies (MISE) As noted in the March 1999-March 2000 Annual Report, a complete course was developed on the Integral Management of Emergency Supplies (MISE), which complements all the other activities of the Project by expanding their field of action. At MISE courses, participants learn the basic concepts of comprehensive supply administration. The process is divided into five stages: Procurement, Transport, Storage, Distribution and Evaluation. A manual has been produced on the subject, as well as an audiovisual presentation and three work guides, available at present in Spanish, English and French. At present, the two main training components are distinguished as:
As the courses were being taught, it became apparent that they needed to be reformulated, given the different needs of the various countries. At present, a draft of the new MISE has been completed. It is structured in modules, each with its own audiovisual material, mainly PowerPoint presentations. The draft course is currently being evaluated by the Mexican Red Cross before its distribution throughout the region. From June 2000 to June 2001, a total of 35 courses were taught in the countries of the region—22 SUMA courses and 13 MISE courses. Some 600 officials have participated. Since the beginning of the Project, some 3,000 individuals have been trained now; the exact figure is unknown, since the countries that have their own trainers, trained by the Project, do not always report their enrollment figures to FUNDESUMA, while other SUMA projects, such as the one supported by DIPECHO in the Andean region in partnership with PAHO/WHO, are not coordinated by FUNDESUMA. The following table shows the courses taught by country during the 2000-2001 period:
In order to discuss the experiences that users have had with the SUMA Methodology, as well as its future improvements in terms of functionality, compatibility, and use as a humanitarian and development tool, over 40 representatives of UN agencies, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations from the Americas met in San José, Costa Rica, from 18 to 20 October 2000. The main purpose of the workshop was to provide a forum for SUMA users and its partners within and outside the UN to voice their experiences and expectations. There was ample consensus among the users, officials and representatives of international agencies concerning the considerable value of the services provided by SUMA over the past decade, as well as regarding their conviction that it has an even greater potential, both during emergency situations and in normal times. (See Annex IV.) From its inception, the Project has development a significant amount of learning and training material, most of it available in all four official PAHO/WHO languages: Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese. These materials have also been placed on the SUMA Web site to guarantee their permanent availability to all interested parties.
During the current period, all training materials were updated, substantial improvements of the English and Spanish versions, and a CD-ROM was produced containing all the training materials and software. The CD was later revised to increase its functionality, thanks to funding from the DIPECHO SUMA Project, and the new edition has been distributed. (See Annex V.) All this material is also available on the SUMA Web site. The Project has maintained a Web site for the past three years. However, no systematic maintenance or substantial improvements have been possible, as a result of insufficient funds. News on SUMA activities and disaster operations reports and graphical material are posted on the Site periodically, in addition to offering the full training material and software for downloading on a permanent basis. The Web site has made it possible to ensure the availability of the material—around the clock, 365 days a year—at very little cost, contributing to the success of the Project and helping to establish links with NGOs around the world. This has led to a valuable global exchange of information and a greater dissemination of the methodology beyond the region. In 1996, a non-governmental, not-for-profit foundation was established in full compliance with the laws of Costa Rica, where it is based, with the goal of supporting and improving the SUMA methodology and the integral management of humanitarian supplies. FUNDESUMA and PAHO/WHO have signed three service contracts since January 1998. The first ran from March 1998 to March 1999; the second, from March 1999 to March 2000; and the third, from June 2000 to June 2001. The purpose of the contracts was to carry out a wide range of activities in participating countries, particularly:
Relations with PAHO/WHO have been of considerable mutual benefit. However, it should be stressed that they are separate organizations that maintain their own autonomy and independence of opinion and criteria on various working areas. Although, to date, PAHO/WHO has always maintained a position on the FUNDESUMA Board of Directors, this does not imply an obligation for either PAHO/WHO or FUNDESUMA to share or rubber-stamp the other’s points of view or activities. It should be underscored that FUNDESUMA is an NGO dedicated exclusively to supporting and improving the SUMA methodology and the integral management of humanitarian supplies, even though, in order to reach this goal, it must sometimes explore activities in other fields. On 13 January 2001, an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude on the Richter Scale devastated El Salvador. It was followed on 13 February by another significant seismic event, causing in total 1,259 deaths, injuring nearly 9,000, and directly affecting 1.6 million inhabitants. Copious international assistance flowed in. The international SUMA team that flew in to provide emergency assistance comprised volunteers from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Argentina (White Helmets), whose mission was to support the national SUMA team. The Armed Forces and the private sector were also extraordinarily supportive. Another highlight of the operation was the publication on the Internet of up-to-the-minute information on the incoming international aid, in SUMA format, making it possible to assign a final destination to incoming supplies even before their arrival. Also notable was the presence of several SUMA trainees among the relief teams sent by countries such as Peru, Honduras, and Venezuela (see Annex VI). After the critical stage of the emergency had ended, PAHO/WHO entrusted external experts with an evaluation of the operation, which provided a different view of the use of SUMA in disaster situations. (See Annex VII.) From its beginning, the SUMA Project has paid special attention to cooperation among countries, based on the conviction that resources located in the same region or subregion can be effectively pooled and coordinated to achieve excellent results in joint activities. For instance, when Hurricane Mitch hit Central America in 1998, human resources from almost all countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean were deployed in the affected nations. Between March 1999 and March 2000, such mobilizations also took place, both for training purposes and to strengthen emergency operations such as the one prompted by the catastrophic floods that affected Venezuela. The international operation in El Salvador has already been mentioned. What needs to be underscored is the extraordinary esprit de corps that has arisen among the members of the various SUMA teams. Thanks to SUMA, the issue of emergency supply management has found a permanent place on the national agenda of most countries in the region. While not all countries have necessarily modified their policies or procedures substantially as a result, in all of them initiatives are underway to institutionalize and standardize supply management. Work during emergency situations employing the SUMA methodology has led to a reevaluation of supply management in normal times. Some specific needs have become evident, leading to the design of the Warehouse Module, with the dual objective of meeting an evident need but also of encouraging ongoing training in the methodology. The existence of the Warehouse Module made it possible for many small public and private institutions to have access to a basic electronic tool for supply management, without having to engage in costly software procurement, training or maintenance. Improving supply management during emergencies and in normal times has often led to institutional strengthening, increasing the visibility and credibility of participating public and private agencies among civil society organizations and the international community. The appropriation of the issue by national agencies, and the Project’s strategy of training national trainers and establishing national SUMA teams, has in some instances secured the sustainability of the methodology beyond the short term. The multisectoral and interdisciplinary approach employed by SUMA has raised awareness of the importance of effective supply management, and the solutions provided by the project, among a great diversity of public and private institutions, from universities to customs authorities, from small NGOs to the offices of the First Ladies of the region. The Project has evolved over time into much more than a supply management information tool, by including solutions to more specific problems, such as the physical management of resources, thanks to the MISE courses. This improves the comprehensive management and utilization of the supplies. The discussions on the subject prompted by SUMA presentations and implementation have built bridges of communication between various sectors, such as civil society and governments, the private sector and the UN System. Indeed, the increased dialogue has taken place not only between sectors, but also within the same sector, as in the case of NGOs, international agencies, or business and industry. On seeing the great importance of supply management in emergency situations, other institutions have decided to develop, as part of their own information systems, a SUMA-like module, sometimes with the same name and properties. The software needs to be redesigned to bring it up to date and adjust it to new tasks, while maintaining the simplicity and user-friendliness that have made it popular among both large and small institutions, at the lowest possible cost to the users. Although PAHO/WHO and FUNDESUMA have made a great effort in the region, it will not be possible to achieve greater coverage without the participation of other NGOs, UN agencies, and international institutions. Further development of the software, training material, Web site and other support material will only take place if donors provide greater financial resources and commit themselves to continue supporting the Project. FUNDESUMA has been deficient in marketing the Project more effectively to attract donors, leaving this responsibility solely in the hands of PAHO/WHO. The natural competitiveness that occurs between different international actors may threaten support for this joint initiative. Although attempts have been made to incorporate universities in the training process, as a way of achieving sustainability, positive results have been scarce. The complexity of university administration and politics calls for more time and efforts to achieve this integration, although it remains desirable and potentially very effective. The availability of the source code as shareware (following the open source model), so that users could produce their own versions, was not received with the enthusiasm that had been expected. However, even when it was, the interest was quickly dampened by PAHO/WHO legal requirements involving intellectual property protection. The interest in supply management that has been awakened by SUMA has attracted the attention of the private sector. This may be a significant threat, since for-profit companies have more resources to invest in offering a product of greater quality—certainly in marketing it vigorously—which may lead small organizations to incur in perhaps unnecessary costs or, alternatively, the threat of litigation due to the use of pirated software. Although the Project was able to deliver a useful tool, this tool does not allow for the exchange of information among different actors employing other platforms. This makes it impossible to control or at least monitor the abundance or lack of particular supplies in any given disaster. An evident weakness was the difficulty in making the Project comply with the accounting, financial and administrative needs of participating organizations. The future redesign of the software must take this into account. After nearly 11 years, PAHO/WHO and FUNDESUMA have accumulated a great deal of experience in supply management. The permanent exchanges with scores of experts and institutions throughout the region have made it possible to incorporate the observations, suggestions and comments made into the new versions of the software and its support material. This gives great strength to the product, since it has been tailored to the needs of the stakeholders themselves. The countries in the region champion the Project and its results, and the overwhelming majority is eager to continue supporting the development and sustainability of the methodology. Many NGOs representing a wide variety of constituencies have incorporated SUMA into their administrative procedures in order to share their information and prove to governments and the rest of civil society their willingness to embrace transparency and accountability. A highly professional redesign proposal, based on user input and streamlined concepts, has been developed, and it has been very well received by the overwhelming majority of users; it should prove a solid foundation for any future efforts to improve the software and methodology. The Project has motivated national agencies to establish communication channels with their counterparts in other countries, creating a virtual network of SUMA volunteers who share information and provide mutual support both during disaster situations and in normal times. Perhaps the greatest potential lies in the fact that a customer base, an evident need, a long-term vision, and a great deal of experience are already there. These are all valuable resources for continuing to improve the software and all other aspects of the Project. Even today it is a highly successful platform for the exchange of information among the various stakeholders, and it offers a significant opportunity to continue improving supply management and strengthening local capacity at a fast pace for the benefit of the population and economies of the region while furthering the cause of transparency and accountability in public affairs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) World Health Organization (WHO) Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) |
Humanitarian Supply Management System Sistema de Manejo Suministros Humanitarios |
