Côte d’Ivoire’s journey toward more resilient last mile delivery

At the Centre Medico-Social Sainte Therese de l’enfant Jesus de Koumassi, in the health district of Koumassi in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Rosaline Ago, a pharmacy technician, walks through rows of neatly organized shelves. While a system and standards for pharmacy shelving and record-keeping existed, challenges in fully implementing the system meant medicines were often scattered and records incomplete. With guidance and coaching from Project Last Mile, Rosaline learned to establish tracking sheets, label shelves by program, and implement digital inventory management. Today, her pharmacy reflects her newfound skills, and she’s empowered to manage stock more effectively—a testament to the support she received from her coach, Elie Assoma, and Project Last Mile. 

Rosaline’s story is one of many in Côte d’Ivoire, where Project Last Mile, in partnership with the Direction de l’Activité Pharmaceutique, Nouvelle Pharmacie de la Santé Publique, and with support from USAID and PEPFAR, strengthens local health systems by applying route-to-market expertise from the Coca-Cola system. The program’s coaching model provides technical training for a digital inventory system that equips healthcare facilities to manage inventory and distribution, reducing stockouts and improving access to life-saving medicines. 

Photos in this essay capture moments from Côte d’Ivoire’s transformation—highlighting the progress made by pharmacy staff and coaches working together to enhance local healthcare delivery. In facilities once hampered by inconsistent orders and frequent shortages, Project Last Mile supported increased and accurate usage of digital supply chain management tools and provided one-on-one coaching for better stock management. 

For pharmacy technicians across Côte d’Ivoire, managing supplies was once daunting. In facilities like Centre Medico-Social Sainte Therese, inconsistent order submissions and frequent stockouts created ongoing challenges. To address this, the Ministry of Health mandated the use of mSupply as the national stock management tool. Building on this foundation, Project Last Mile introduced coaching not only to enhance proficiency with mSupply but also to strengthen broader stock management practices, including shelving, accurate order calculations, order tracking, and responsive actions to understock or stockout situations. These efforts have led to improved order submission rates and more consistent access to life-saving medicines.

Coach Elie Assoma is one of Project Last Mile’s dedicated mentors. The Project Last Mile coaches support local pharmacy staff in building sustainable systems. In the photo below, Coach Eli assists staff in verifying that inventory data aligns with dispensation records.  

Forty minutes away at Formation Sanitaire Urbaine du Plateau-Edmond Basque in Adjamé-Plateau-Attécoubé, a district driver from the Treichville Marcory district unloads boxes of medicines from a delivery truck while health workers confirm the order. 

Later, as seen in the picture below, Dr. Pitte-Djidji inputs data for stock management under the guidance of Coach Simplice Kouassi. This facility, now considered a “graduated” site, reflects the Côte d’Ivoire health system’s strides toward self-sufficiency. Through Project Last Mile’s training and tools, these facilities now manage inventories independently, allowing health teams to sustain essential services with minimal external support. Thanks to the strengthened inventory systems supported by Project Last Mile, health facilities across Côte d’Ivoire are now equipped to manage stock and place timely orders, reducing stockouts and improving access to life-saving medicines in their communities. 

In the picture below, Project Last Mile coach Larissa Yapi Aka guides Pharmacy PGP Seka Assaba to improve stock tracking and order management using digital tools. Through her hands-on approach, health workers have transitioned from managing storerooms that often faced challenges with disorganization to creating well-organized, efficient spaces leading to better access to medicines and streamlined practices for local communities. 

A midwife in Formation Sanitaire Urbaine du Plateau consults with a patient, explaining the family planning options available to her. With Project Last Mile’s support, these resources are now reliably stocked, even in remote areas, empowering women to make informed decisions for their families. The product’s availability guarantees that the woman truly has the choice of which methods she wants to use rather than having to settle for the one available. 

At the graduated sites, patients can now collect their medicines without worrying if they will be in stock. Project Last Mile’s support for inventory and order management has helped facilities across Côte d’Ivoire reduce stockouts, ensuring life-saving medicines are available when patients need them most. 

Through stories like Rosaline’s and Dr. Pitte-Djidji’s, we see how the Nouvelle Pharmacie de la Santé Publique and Direction de l’Activité Pharmaceutique, supported by Project Last Mile, is transforming healthcare delivery in Côte d’Ivoire. Each facility that graduates to independent management reflects a step forward in building a resilient healthcare system, bringing life-saving medicines closer to the people who need them most. 

This initiative is funded and supported by PEPFAR and USAID. The content and information provided on this website are the responsibility of Project Last Mile and are not official United States government information and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of PEPFAR, USAID, or the United States Government.