# Gestion optimisée des intrants pour une réponse efficace en contexte de pandémie au Cameroun

## TL;DR

This paper presents an optimized strategy for managing supplies in Cameroon's national lab during the pandemic to improve response efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

## Contribution

A data-driven logistical strategy for optimized supply management in pandemic response, based on real-world lab operations in Cameroon.

## Key findings

- The lab processed ~2621 samples/month with ~1.17 extractions and ~1.18 PCRs per sample on average.
- Variant screening and sequencing required 1.08 and 1.39 tests per sample, respectively.
- The strategy enables precise quantification of supplies, reducing costs and improving genomic surveillance.

## Abstract

Optimised supplies management for an efficient response in a context of a pandemic in Cameroon.

Response strategy against COVID-19 relies on adequate materials and consumables supply.

As a national reference COVID-19 laboratory in Cameroon, the Chantal BIYA International Reference Center (CIRCB) has evaluated the consumption of materials and consumables supply for PCR, variant screening and sequencing, in view of better prediction of the needs.

Chantal Biya International Reference Centre for research on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention and management (CIRCB), Yaoundé-Cameroon.

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between August 2021 and July 2022 which focused on stock supply evaluation through analysis of data from services performed at CIRCB, Cameroon. The weighted averages method was used in statistics.

Overall, 31 453 samples were received, 37 008 extractions and 37 248 PCRs were performed for COVID-19 diagnosis, representing an average monthly consumption of 3084 extractions and 3104 PCRs for ~2621 samples/month (~1.17 extractions/sample and ~1.18 PCRs/sample). Of the 2238 (7.1%) positive cases diagnosed, 265 were processed for variants’ screening and 200 to sequencing due to their high cycle threshold (CT < 25). In screening, 288 tests were used, i.e. 1.08 tests/sample. For sequencing, 279 tests were used, i.e. 1.39 tests/sample.

The estimates obtained reveal a precise quantification of the supplies used for diagnosis, variant screening and sequencing during a season of high COVID-19 epidemics at CIRCB-Cameroon.

Adequate implementation of this logistical strategy would optimize supply management and help to save associated costs while ensuring effective genomic surveillance or response when faced with any public health incident in Cameroon.