The importance of data and data sharing to create end-to-end visibility of the supply chain to solve many of the issues health supply chains currently face cannot be stressed enough. i+ estimates that 20-40% of imported medicines, do not reach the targeted patients, due to for example stockouts and expiries. The supply chain is hard to manage, due to lack of reliable data we cannot measure it. i+solutions believes that by collecting data and sharing data among all actors in the supply chain, these issues can be solved.

i+solutions and E-Gateway worked together to develop an App that was rolled out in Burundi for health care workers at health facilities in the last mile to monitor the supply of medicines. The App feeds data into the i+solutions eLMIS called Medexis, thus creating a reliable database of the in-country health supply chain. Another App, called Just Drive, was rolled out in several regions in Burundi. The App functions like an Uber-app for motorcycle drivers. Whenever a health facility needs to replenish its stock of medicines, they send out a message in the App, giving the contracted motorcycle drivers the option to accept the shipment if it is on their route. Both Apps are simple to use on mobile Android phones and require no internet connection, important characteristics for the people using them.

The next step is integrating health supply chains for different health commodities, combining them into one that is more efficient and cost effective. The African Health Dataspace is used to facilitate the sharing and integration of data between all actors in the health supply chain.