This report documents a five-year partnership between Results for Development (R4D) and the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service (EPSS) to strengthen the country’s ability to ensure reliable access to essential medicines. Implemented from 2019–2024 with support from the Gates Foundation, the project focused on addressing systemic barriers in Ethiopia’s health commodity supply system and building EPSS’s in-house capacity to serve as the country’s “market manager”.
The report outlines how R4D and EPSS jointly conducted baseline and endline assessments of supply chain performance, co-developed Ethiopia’s first comprehensive market shaping strategy, and introduced organizational and training tools to strengthen staff capacity and institutionalize new practices. It highlights improvements in procurement efficiency, supplier diversification, forecasting accuracy and wastage reduction — alongside accredited training programs that certified over 100 government staff in market shaping competencies.
This resource will be valuable for policymakers, practitioners and funders seeking to understand how countries can shift from donor-led, ad-hoc interventions to sustainable, nationally owned systems. It offers practical lessons on embedding market shaping into government structures, strengthening capacity through accredited training, and building resilience into health product supply chains.
