New Journal Article Examines Human-Centered Design to Adapt Supply Chains and Digital Health Solutions in Kenya

JSI and our affiliate, inSupply Health, have published an article in Global Health Science and Practice (GHSP) exploring the Use of Human-Centered Design to Adapt Supply Chains and Digital Solutions for Community Health Volunteers in Nomadic Communities of Northern Kenya.

Unreliable and nonexistent supply chain procedures and processes are one of the primary barriers to achieving functional community health units in nomadic communities in the arid/semiarid counties of Kenya. 

This article highlights the use of human-centered design (HCD) to engage communities and community health volunteers (CHVs) in redesigning a proven data-centric supply chain approach that included a digital solution, called cStock, for this challenging context. 

Using the HCD process incorporated the perspective of CHVs and their communities and provided key insights to inform the design of the supply chain and adapt cStock. These insights were categorized into supply chain, information systems, human resources, behaviors, service delivery infrastructure, and connectivity. The process helped make cStock to be inclusive and have the potential to have a meaningful impact on strengthening the supply chain for seminomadic and nomadic communities in northern Kenya. A strong supply chain for these CHVs will increase access to essential and reproductive health commodities and contribute to improving the overall health and well-being of these communities, especially women and children.

Read the full article: Andersson SR, Hassanen S, Momanyi AM, et al. Using human-centered design to adapt supply chains and digital solutions for community health volunteers in nomadic communities of Northern Kenya. Glob Health Sci Pract. 2021;9(Suppl 1):S151-S167.