Not all activities for interventions that contribute to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV are carried out in a single health facility. Health services – such as antenatal care, labor and delivery services, maternal and child health services, family planning programs, centers providing antiretroviral therapy (ART), and laboratory diagnostic services -- are often separated within institutions, or may be found in different physical locations. Even when all these services are offered by a given organization or institution, they may still be located in different buildings and have different administrative requirements. All these factors must be taken into consideration when planning for a supply system: each may involve different distribution points for commodities.

UNICEF and other agencies involved in child welfare recommend a well functioning supply chain system as a prerequisite for an effective PMTCT intervention. The system of forecasting, procurement and distribution of commodities needed for PMTCT needs to be streamlined with the existing supply system of HIV/AIDS commodities. It is therefore necessary to review national supply systems and policies early in the planning process of the PMTCT program in order to establish a sustainable system of supplies when starting to implement more efficacious regimens while at the same time going to scale.

Additionally, procurement and logistics must be strengthened in order to improve access and quality of PMTCT services.   Most resource-limited countries receiving funding support for procurement of HIV/AIDS and contraceptive supplies from multiple partners with different funding cycles.  Limited experience and capacity of country programs, coupled with inconsistent funding cycles, complicate the establishment of a continuous procurement management system.

ARV forecasting and costing exercises should include all critical supplies and equipment necessary for delivery of quality PMTCT services.  Equipment and drugs include HIV test kits, CD4 machines, contraceptives, cotrimoxazole, antiretrovirals (ARVs), and other essential drugs. Deliberate efforts need to be made to harmonize procurement and distribution of HIV/AIDS and family planning commodities, as traditionally these have existed as parallel systems.