ASCM Foundation to Help Developing Countries in Africa with COVID-19 Response

The Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) Foundation announced today it has received a grant from Xylem Watermark, the corporate citizenship program of global water technology company Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL). The grant will be used for the ASCM Foundation’s Global Health Supply Chain Initiative to provide Ministries of Health in Senegal and Kenya with technical support to assist in developing and coordinating supply chain planning for critical care items such as personal protection equipment (PPE) and testing supplies that are needed to respond and manage COVID-19.

“There is dire need within developing countries in Africa to improve the capacity of both health care and supply chain personnel to cope with the rapidly changing supply chain issues and the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said ASCM Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. “This grant from Xylem Watermark makes it possible for us to help the Ministries of Health improve their COVID-19 response, which will increase the number of lives saved in these areas by at least 90% due to better COVID-19 preparedness, response and recovery.”

This intervention will lead to an improvement in forecasting, increased availability of COVID-19 commodities at the point of care/use, rational use and a plan for reverse logistics during the recovery phase. ASCM Global Health Supply Chain teams on the ground in Senegal (West Africa), Nigeria, and Kenya (East Africa) are already working with the Ministries of Health and their COVID-19 Response teams to:

1. Identify high risk COVID-19 supply chain segments including home health to the general population, critical care to health workers, critical care to those with severe diagnoses, and education for the general population.
2. Provide the participants in the program with ASCM membership, which will allow them to use ASCM’s Supply Chain Learning Center with over 1,000 educational resources, webinars, and seminars, as well as the ASCM Corporate mentoring opportunities, and localized networking opportunities focused on COVID-19 response.
3. Leverage the ASCM’s Global Health Supply Chain Maturity model to assist response teams with quickly identifying supply risks.
4. Facilitate collaborative workshops with donor teams and local implementation partners to conduct risk mitigation activities.

“Xylem Watermark is deeply committed to working closely with local communities during extraordinary times like this,” said Jamie Saxe, Senior Director, Watermark and Corporate Social Responsibility program. “Our grant initiative reinforces the mission of Xylem Watermark- to impact communities and families facing water challenges, as well as disaster relief assistance and other essential needs.”

The ASCM Foundation’s Global Health Supply Chain Initiative helps developing markets improve supply chains and the lives they touch. The program’s strategy focuses on heightening the capability of leaders, professionals and the public health workforce to maximize proven programs in learning, development and organizational transformation.

For more information on ASCM and its Foundation and the work they’re doing to create a better world through supply chain visit https://www.ascm.org/making-an-impact/.