Last year Relief International launched a project with the aim of transforming the landscape of humanitarian medical product procurement—starting in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Myanmar. 

Currently humanitarian organizations face huge challenges with sourcing timely and quality medical supplies amid crises—the lead times for international suppliers is typically 3-6 months, with 8-9 months not being uncommon, and local suppliers often fall short of World Health Organization (WHO) quality standards.   

In response, we are working alongside local suppliers to upgrade their operations and meet international standards, paving the way for them to engage directly with NGOs seeking quality medical products. 

In an exciting next step, we have now signed partnership agreements with five medical suppliers in Afghanistan. These agreements confirm each partner’s commitment to working together to meet World Health Organization quality standards within the next year. 

The local suppliers:  

• Afghan Pharma Ltd
• Galaxy Pharma Ltd
• Noor Pharma Ltd
• Kashmir Qasemi Logistic and Trading Company
• Ibni Sina Medicine Ltd.

The goal of this project is simple—to get quality medical supplies to where they are needed, when they are needed, meanwhile supporting local businesses and empowering local communities. 

We are grateful for the collaboration with our technical partner Quamed and for the generous support of Takeda.