Humanitarian value stream mapping: application to the EBOLA outbreak

Abstract : Humanitarian Supply Chain Management serves as bridge between needs and aid provided. Flows of goods and information connect the field to headquarters, distribution to procurement, beneficiaries to donors. The problems of decisionmaking, information sharing and coordination can be studied with this special logistics focus. We present a Value Stream Mapping approach that provides a structure to analyze and understand the problems arising in practice, such as bottlenecks; waiting times; or misaligned procurement and distribution policies. We demonstrate our lean-management approach by using the ongoing Ebola Outbreak in West Africa as Case Study.