ASCENT

Economic, Policy, and Innovation Centre for Health Systems – EPIC Health Systems

ASCENT

A data-driven platform improving antibiotic access in Ethiopia via real-time stock tracking, forecasting, facility sharing, and product verification

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ETH

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

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Antibiotic shortages, frequent stockouts, and inequitable distribution remain widespread in Ethiopia’s primary healthcare system. Health facilities—including primary hospitals, health centers, and health posts—serving rural and low-income populations often lack timely access to essential antibiotics due to weak supply chain coordination, limited data visibility, and poor demand forecasting. A 2022 national assessment by the Ministry of Health found that over 40% of public health facilities reported at least one stockout of a key antibiotic within a three-month period. These recurring access gaps delay treatment for common infections, contribute to preventable complications and deaths, and increase the likelihood of inappropriate antibiotic use. In remote areas, patients often turn to informal markets or forgo treatment entirely, further compounding health risks and fueling the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In addition, the circulation of substandard and falsified antibiotics remains a growing concern. Despite existing logistics platforms such as Dagu LMIS, there is no integrated mechanism for product verification at the point of care. Current systems also lack the real-time, predictive functionality required to optimize distribution across facilities. As a result, frontline sites remain understocked and ill-equipped to respond to community needs in a timely, coordinated manner.

Our solution is ASCENT (Antibiotic Supply Chain Efficiency through Networked Traceability), a digital inventory and logistics platform designed to enhance antibiotic access in Ethiopia’s primary healthcare system. While the Dagu Electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS)—a national platform used to manage routine inventory transactions at health facilities—focuses on facility-level stock control, ASCENT complements it by introducing three critical innovations: (1) facility-to-facility inventory sharing, (2) AI-powered demand forecasting, and (3) barcode-based product authentication. ASCENT applies AI-powered forecasting to predict stock imbalances in advance. When a shortage is anticipated, the platform identifies nearby facilities with surplus stock and recommends redistribution—helping health officers and facility staff address local demand fluctuations quickly and efficiently. This lateral sharing improves last-mile access and minimizes stockouts in hard-to-reach communities. In parallel, ASCENT integrates barcode scanning to authenticate antibiotic products during receipt and dispensing, helping to detect and prevent the use of substandard or falsified medicines. The platform is interoperable with national systems like Dagu via APIs, accessible via web and mobile interfaces, and tailored to primary hospitals and health centers. By enhancing real-time visibility, traceability, and verification across facilities, ASCENT supports safer, more equitable, and more resilient antibiotic delivery.

ASCENT directly serves rural and underserved communities in Ethiopia, especially those who depend on primary hospitals, health centers, and health posts for essential treatment. With over 80% of the population living in rural areas, gaps in antibiotic availability often leave vulnerable groups—such as children, pregnant women, and people with infectious diseases—without timely or effective care. In these settings, health facilities frequently operate with delayed stock information and limited ability to share supplies with neighboring sites. Patients often travel long distances only to be turned away, seek care from informal providers, or use inappropriate alternatives, contributing to poor outcomes and growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In some regions, the availability of falsified or substandard antibiotics adds further risk. ASCENT improves this reality by enabling real-time stock visibility, AI-based forecasting, and facility-to-facility inventory sharing, ensuring that antibiotics are available when and where they are needed most. The barcode verification feature also helps frontline workers confirm product quality at the point of care, boosting confidence in public sector supply chains.