ABT Associates: Scaling Indoor Residual Spraying for Malaria Prevention in Africa (pdf abstract)
Purchase the full report on (Case study #1-429-272) – published 02/2013, 36 pages.
Developed by: Erb faculty affiliate, Ravi Anupindi and Erb alum, Colm Fay (’12)
*Co-published by Ross School of Business and GlobaLens
Description: In the summer of 2011 Abt Associates was awarded a contract to implement indoor residual spraying (IRS) in up to 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa based on successes the company had with its IRS program in Uganda. The company had come a long way since it took over the Uganda project in 2009 from the previous contractor. Abt Associates implemented a number of changes in supply chain management after the first spray round of the Uganda project, including getting community buy-in and involvement, as well as tracking of equipment and supplies—all with excellent results. The procurement process for the new sub-Saharan project had come to a close, and Abt Associates had to present a work plan to the client in just four weeks. Abt Associates Portfolio Manager Susan Scribner decided to visit with Chief of Party of the Uganda office J. B. Rwakimari in Kampala to examine how to best apply lessons from the Uganda project on a larger scale.
Teaching Points: After discussing this case, students should be able to:
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- Examine how Abt Associates improved its Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) program by obtaining community buy-in and involvement, as well as better tracking of equipment and supplies.
- Analyze how the IRS program can be replicated, and if lessons learned in supply chain management would prove equally effective in countries with different cultures andhealth care infrastructures.
- Examine how to best apply lessons from the Uganda project on a larger scale.