The agenda for the PtD Global Indaba conference in Bangkok is here!
This year’s PtD Global Indaba, which will take place over three days between 6 and 8 March in Bangkok, will be the place to hear about the latest health supply chain and human resources management solutions.
“The Global Indaba programme is full of an enriching and exciting set of conversations, from the opening panel on the post-pandemic supply chain workforce to the workshops, which will have a real focus on learning” said Marasi Mwencha, Head of Supply Chain at the Global Fund.
“What I’m really looking forward to is hearing from countries about their long-term HR approach for supply chain management,” he added.
“The Global Indaba will thus focus on strategizing and solutioning: Strategizing on the evolving skills given the shifting landscapes and solutioning on the required approaches to ensure the health supply chain workforce is ready and able to serve the populations that need and deserve access to health commodities.”
Leadership, innovations and professionalisation
After an opening ceremony featuring the Thailand Ministry of Public Heath, the first of three plenary panel discussions will centre on emergency response and human resources, and the state of health supply chain workforces in a post-pandemic world. In the second panel, on the morning of day two, Iain Barton will lead a discussion on innovations and changing landscapes in health supply chain management.
The final panel, in the afternoon of day two, will see a rich tapestry of panellists discuss the topic at the heart of the PtD coalition: supply chain management professionalisation.
Over the three days participants will be treated to more of everything that was so popular at the inaugural Global Indaba in Lusaka: more speakers, more panel discussions, more networking opportunities and an extra day. The Indaba impulse talks (similar to TED talks) – a participant favourite – will be showcased on days two and three, while there will be a dedicated time and space for poster presentations.
One newcomer to this year's edition of the Global Indaba is Career square, an area dedicated to showcasing the educational resources, courses and approaches that are available to help supply chain professionals carve a career in the health supply chain management profession.
An interactive session facilitated by the International Association of Public Health Logisticians (IAPHL), in the morning of day three, will bring participants together to discuss the future of the health supply chain workforce. This will be followed by an Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) workshop, led by Douglas Kent, which will impart practical steps to further develop the health supply chain workforce.
Thailand takes centre stage
At this year’s Global Indaba, South-east Asia will take centre stage. This is a region where public health systems are robust, but where the health supply chain workforce receives little attention and limited funding from national governments, development and donor agencies, despite the need in many countries.
Thailand and southeast Asia offer a unique perspective on addressing common challenges in health supply chain management. Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa face many mutual challenges, such as fragmented supply chains and a lack of dedicated health supply chain management professionals. But uniting Africa and Asia in Thailand offers the unique potential for collaboration and exchange between country representatives and organisations from different continents that perhaps rarely cross paths.
The Global Indaba programme has been carefully curated with diverse contexts in mind – with the help of local partner Mahidol University’s Center for International Healthcare Logistics and Supply Chain (Health CLARE) – to ensure that the most pressing concerns of all participants will be addressed.
The Global Indaba app
We’re doing things a little differently this year and the Global Indaba conference app is one piece of kit that will enhance participants’ experience. Not only will it contain the agenda and hold all the useful information to help you plan your trip, but on it you will find a list of all attendees and speakers: handy if you want to get started early on developing connections and arranging catch ups.
The app will be launched in the coming days so keep an eye on PtD’s social media channels and website.
Accommodation and visas
Participants who haven’t already booked their accommodation are advised to do so as soon as possible as space at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers will be limited. Global Indaba participants can benefit from a special rate available on the PtD Global Indaba website.
Participants should also, by now, have arranged their visas to enter Thailand. Those experiencing difficulties are advised to send an email to info@upavon.co.za.
View the agenda here, speakers here and if you haven’t already, register for the Global Indaba here.
