India’s ambitious journey towards Universal Health Coverage depends on more than medical services. It hinges on robust, reliable supply chains that ensure essential medicines and health commodities reach people when and where they need them.
Unfortunately, patients at remote health facilities are often unable to receive vital medicines due to stockouts or because drugs expired in district warehouses run on outdated processes.
These gaps in the supply chain affect the health outcomes of millions. A strong supply chain ensures the uninterrupted delivery of essential medicines, better disease management, and healthier communities, especially in underserved areas.
To close this gap, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, together with the Gates Foundation and PATH, is reimagining public health supply chains across nine states of India.
From assessment to impact
The initiative began with a comprehensive “as-is assessment” to identify key challenges in the intervention states. Findings revealed unreliable forecasting, variable warehouse practices, inconsistent data, derailed distribution mechanisms, and gaps in workforce capacity.
These insights informed the development of state-specific roadmaps, in collaboration with the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) and state health authorities. Each roadmap outlined actionable, locally relevant solutions ranging from digitization and warehouse optimization to professionalizing the supply chain workforce and aligning the state priorities with national goals.
The key strategies focused on leveraging technology, optimizing operations, and investing in people.
PATH is providing tailored technical assistance to states as they implement these roadmaps, with efforts centered on five interconnected priority interventions:
- Digitizing for precision
Digitization is driving precision in supply chain management. At the core of this transformation is the Drug and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS), which is shifting operations from paper-based processes to a proactive, data-driven ecosystem. By integrating scientific forecasting and auto-indenting, DVDMS enables health facilities to order exactly what they need, when they need it, ensuring availability while minimizing shortages and wastage.
We have also supported the development of a new mobile application that extends DVDMS to sub-health centers and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (SHC-AAM), ensuring even the most remote facilities remain connected and responsive. To further enhance decision-making, a dynamic dashboard has been developed, offering real-time insights into stock levels, consumption trends, and distribution performance. These tools are giving leaders real-time data to act quickly and prevent stockouts.
2. Ensuring timely drug access
Strengthening drug distribution is essential to ensure uninterrupted service delivery, especially at the last mile. However, medicine delivery often falters due to ad hoc planning and resource constraints.
To address these challenges, PATH introduced several measures to streamline and stabilize distribution mechanisms. Measures include fixed indenting and distribution schedules, optimized delivery routes, and partnerships with third-party logistics providers.
Together, these efforts reduce stockouts, accelerate delivery timelines, and enhance the reliability and efficiency of last-mile drug distribution.
3. Smart warehousing
Warehousing is no longer just about storage; it's about driving efficiency, ensuring quality, and strengthening supply chain resilience. With the implementation of model warehouses, standardized storage practices, and the introduction of a Warehouse Management Information System (WMIS), we are transforming warehousing operations. The aim is not just safe storage, but faster turnaround and greater reliability.
4. Empowering workforce
Even the best systems require skilled people to operate them effectively. PATH has invested in hands-on training at both the state and district levels to strengthen the capabilities of the supply chain management (SCM) workforce, ensuring they can keep medicines moving reliably to the last mile.
To support continuous learning, new technical resources, including standard operating procedures (SOPs), toolkits, and quick reference guides, have been introduced. Additionally, states are exploring the establishment of dedicated SCM teams and Centers of Excellence to institutionalize expertise and ensure long-term sustainability.
PATH has introduced new technical resources, such as SOPs, toolkits, and reference guides, for the supply chain workforce. Infographic: PATH.
Innovating together: Private sector powering public health
To strengthen end-to-end public health supply chain management, PATH engaged with Tata 1mg to harness private sector expertise in supply chain management. This collaboration demonstrates how private sector engagement can significantly enhance public systems by introducing advanced technologies, data-driven processes, and operational efficiencies.
Additionally, PATH worked with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to integrate these solutions into DVDMS, ensuring seamless adoption, scalability, and long-term impact.
“At Tata 1mg, we are proud to have partnered with PATH and the Government of India to enhance the efficiency and resilience of public health supply chains. By bringing our expertise in technology-driven health care solutions, we worked to streamline delivery systems and improve access to essential health services," says Tanmay Saksena, COO of Tata 1mg.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to strengthening public health systems and ensuring that essential medicines and supplies reach the communities that need them most.”
Progress, challenges, and the road ahead
Between September 2024 and April 2025, the initiative has already achieved measurable improvements across intervention states. These outcomes demonstrate the value of combining digital innovation, capacity-building, and state-led reforms to create more responsive health systems.
Infographic: PATH.
But progress did not come without challenges. States faced hurdles ranging from digital literacy gaps to logistical bottlenecks. PATH and partners are addressing these barriers through ongoing support, training, and innovation.
The project’s next phase is about deepening these changes: scaling up digitization, strengthening warehouse infrastructure, and creating Centers of Excellence, all designed with sustainability in mind.
At its core, this initiative is about putting people first rather than about systems and warehouses. It’s about ensuring mothers can find medicines for their children, clinics are ready to respond to outbreaks, and health workers are empowered with the right data at the right time.
By strengthening supply chains, India is building the foundation for health for all.
