The Medical Procurement of Ukraine (MPU) participated in the global conference SAP Spend Connect Live 2023 in Vienna, Austria, which brought together top executives from global companies, procurement, and supply chain agencies from around the world.
The MPU representatives were the only speakers from Ukraine at this event, presenting on the main stage to an audience of over one thousand attendees. In particular, Edem Adamanov, the General Manager of the MPU shared the experience of transforming the healthcare system in Ukraine and establishing mechanisms for efficient and transparent procurement of medical goods, especially during the initial months of the full-scale war.
According to him, in almost five years of operation, the MPU team has taken significant steps towards transforming from a standard procurement agency into a supply chain agency, with its staff increasing from 5-7 individuals to over 150 employees.
"To overcome the challenges of the full-scale invasion, we joined forces with SAP to ensure speed and efficiency in the procurement and supply of medicines in Ukraine. We also minimized corruption in the field of medical procurement and opened access for patients to high-quality and free medicines. This involves meeting the needs of hospitals on a national scale, developing the procurement system, and extending best practices to other government institutions. That's why our transformation is fundamentally changing the entire country," stated Edem Adamanov.
He also added that the MPU is currently in the final stage of integrating the state enterprise "Ukrmedpostach," which will allow the consolidation of the entire supply chain and thus create a full-cycle agency.
In turn, Kateryna Nekrasova, Deputy GM on Customer Experience Management and International Relations at the MPU, informed participants about the key advantages of using SAP Ariba over other procurement systems.
"Purchases through the online state procurement system include the standard tender process without market consultations or contract management elements. Meanwhile, all other procurement operations and processes were handled by us through SAP Ariba and our in-house e-development of the MPU, Meddata, proving their efficiency and value," added Kateryna Nekrasova.
Currently, the MPU continues to move forward with digital transformation. According to Ihor Lysenko, the Head of IT Development Department at the MPU, the next step should be the integration of SAP Ariba with Prozorro and the implementation of an ERP system for quality resource management at the MPU, as well as more systematic planning. This, indeed, is the key to efficient procurement and ensuring the supply chain.
For reference. SAP Ariba is a comprehensive tool for organizing end-to-end procurement processes by one of the leading global software solutions providers for business process management, SAP. The system automates the work of all participants at every stage of the procurement process, from cost analysis and needs identification to contract closure and payment.