SUMA
This booklet highlights the most important features of SUMA, the supply management system, developed as a technical information management and coordination tool, which became a symbol of transparency in dealing with humanitarian supplies.
This computerized supply management system attempts to make order of the chaos often caused by uncoordinated humanitarian relief. The system initially targeted health-related supplies in the aftermath of a disaster. At the urging of most Latin American countries, the scope of SUMA was broadened to include all relief items. It formally started operations in 1992 with the financial support of the Government of the Netherlands, and currently has more than 2,500 trained volunteers around the world, an integrated logistics course (MISE), and is included in the curriculum of several universities.
This publication can be ordered from PAHO's Emergency Preparedness Program (disaster-publications@paho.org), or can be downloaded as a PDF file. You need to have installed Adobe Acrobat Reader to read these files. It can be obtained free of charge from the Adobe Website.