Introduction to the SEEAP Supply Unit
Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been mainly procuring from European suppliers, but seeing the development of the medical industry in Asia in recent years, we are also interested to understand more about the Asian market with the aim of achieving a more resilient supply network.
The Southeast, East Asia and Pacific (SEEAP) Supply Unit was set up to support Doctors Without Borders in identifying qualified and competitive manufacturers in Asia. Our priority is on medical items such as drugs and medical devices, but depending on needs, we may also source for non-medical items.
Currently we are at a market research stage to understand what is available in different Asian countries. In the long-term, if we identify suppliers who fit our needs and fulfill our quality and other requirements (for instance legal, ethics and sustainability requirements), procurement will be made.
Doctors Without Borders sources and distributes supplies to our projects in over 70 countries around the world.
Doctors Without Borders Procurement System
The SEEAP Supply Unit is part of the Doctors Without Borders Procurement System.
In Doctors Without Borders, we have three European Supply Centres (ESCs):
MSF Logistique in France
MSF Supply in Belgium
Amsterdam Procurement Unit in the Netherlands
To support our operations, we need to procure a wide variety of items. For items with high quality and technical requirement (e.g. medical items), we mainly procure them internationally, and this is responsible by our ESCs.
Colleagues in the ESCs gather demands from our operations across the world and procure from the international market. Commonly used items are usually stored in the warehouses of ESCs, and then dispatched to our operations when needed.
The SEEAP Supply Unit supports our ESCs by making recommendations of qualified Asian suppliers.
Doctors Without Borders has three European Supply Centres (ESCs) based in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Doctors Without Borders Qualification Scheme
It is our legal and moral responsibility to guarantee the quality of the medical products we use and distribute. Doctors Without Borders has a quality assurance system together with an internal qualification scheme to safeguard the quality of medical items used in our operations.
You may refer to these websites for more information:
General principles and policies of Doctors Without Borders procurement: MSF Quality Assurance linked to procurement of Medical Products
Detailed qualification scheme and process of Doctors Without Borders: MSF Medical Product Qualification Processes
Specifications of medical and non-medical items used in Doctors Without Borders: Unicat
- Pharmaceutical Items
CARDIOVASCULAR DRUGS - for example:
- AMIODARONE hydrochloride, 50mg/ml, 3ml, amp.
- GLYCERYL TRINITRATE, 0.5mg, sublingual tab.
- HYDRALAZINE hydrochloride, 20mg, powder, amp.
GASTROINTESTINAL DRUGS - for example:
- OMEPRAZOLE, 10mg, dispersible gastro-resistant tab.
NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES TREATMENT - for example, drugs for treatment of parasites diseases:
- MEGLUMINE ANTIMONIATE injection
- SODIUM STIBOGLUCONATE injection
- MILTEFOSINE tablet/capsule
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PRODUCTS – for example:
- Contraceptive drugs and devices (e.g. implant and IUD)
- Drugs related to childbirth
VACCINES AND IMMUNOGLOBULIN
- Diphtheria antitoxin and vaccines
- Oral bivalent poliomyelitis vaccine
VITAMINS AND MINERALS* – for example:
- MULTIVITAMINS, tab.
- RETINOL (vitamin A), 200,000 IU, soft gelat. caps.
- POTASSIUM chloride, 600mg (8mEq), prolonged-release tab.
*Vitamins and minerals which are registered as drugs are preferred
- Medical Devices
INJECTION SUPPLIES - for example:
- Syringe
- Needle
- Safety IV catheter
- Infusion set
- Blood bag
- Intra-Osseous needles and drill
CATHETERS, TUBES AND DRAINS - for example:
- Oxygen face mask
- Nasogastric tube
- Urinary catheter
- Intrauterine haemostatic balloon catheter
DRESSING - for example:
- Absorbent dressing
- Adhesive tape
- Bandage
- Compress
COVERALLS
BIOCHEMISTRY ANALYZERS (especially for Point of Care Testing)
- Non-Medical Items
VECTOR CONTROL PRODUCTS
Recent Sourcing Priorities
It is noted that the sourcing priorities may change from time to time depending on our operational needs. We are interested to be connected to qualified suppliers of different categories of products.
Work with us
If you are interested to work with us, or if you have any question, please feel free to reach out to us!
It would be appreciated if you could provide your company information, certification and product portfolio in your email.
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For Korean market, please contact Ms. Sohna Bong - [email protected].
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For Chinese market, please contact Ms. Jenny Ye - [email protected].
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For other Asian markets, please contact Ms. Judy Lam - [email protected].