Introduction 10. Applies organization-wide to all WHO-managed warehouses. This version consolidates and replaces prior local or unit-specific guidance Purpose & Scope 20. This policy sets out the minimum organization-wide requirements for planning, storing, handling, accounting for, and distributing WHO inventory. It applies to all WHO offices and operations (country, regional and headquarters) and to any warehouse operated by WHO or on WHO's behalf. The policy covers Medicines and Health Products held for consumption or distribution and must be implemented together with WHO Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the WHO eManual.
30. Always adopt Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP), with special controls for pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical devices.
Prioritize patient safety, speed of response, accountability, and compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). Core Principles 40. The core principles governing this policy are as listed below. - Single WHO policy and process ownership: one corporate standard applicable globally.
- Traceability end-to-end: all movements recorded; batches and expiry tracked where applicable.
- FEFO/FIFO: First-Expiry-First-Out for dated items; First-In-First-Out for non-dated items.
- Zero tolerance for fraud, diversion, or negligence; strong access controls and segregation of duties.
- Timely visibility of stock to enable rapid, needs-based decision making.
- Quality assurance shall be conducted in accordance with WHO guidelines or applicable national requirements, whichever is most stringent
Governance, Compliance & Roles 50. WHO is the custodian of all inventories recorded in its systems, irrespective of operating model (WHO-managed, leased, government-provided, or third-party managed). All inventory transactions must be recorded in the Warehouse Management System (WMS) and integrated into GIMS in line with IPSAS and internal controls. Roles: - The HQ BOS Supply Chain and Global Service Centre (SCS) Department as the global policy owner Stock Manager - defines stock strategy; manages warehousing, inventory control, and reporting. The Supply Chain Department will lead this function in coordination with WHE, Regional Offices, Country Offices, and Programmes.
- Technical Units / Departments / HQ & Regions / Countries: Stock Owners - define items and quantities; approve releases; review consumption and expiry risk; trigger replenishment.
- Information visibility: weekly stock activity reporting; use standard WHO item codes and descriptions.
- Ethics & compliance: access control, routine audits and spot checks, whistleblowing channels, and mandatory training for all warehouse personnel using WMS.
Warehouse Management 60. Opening and closing of warehouses must be formally requested by the Global Logistics Operations (Warehouse Team) using the standard templates available in the Related Content Section. Plan and prepare warehousing before shipments arrive to avoid pipeline delays. Select and operate sites to ensure product integrity, staff safety, and efficient flow. These forms ensure consistent documentation, approval workflows, and integration with WHO's inventory systems. No warehouse may be opened or closed without prior authorization through this process. - Site selection: needs-based size (including cold chain), location/access, condition, security (MOSS where applicable), utilities and backups.
- Layout (minimum): receiving, storage (clearly marked locations), dispatch, transit zone (max 1 week), storekeeper office, parking. Optional: temperature-controlled rooms, locked cage/room, quarantine area, staff facilities.
- Security & safety: validated by Field Security Officer as applicable; fire protection; pest control; housekeeping; health & safety briefings; visitor/vehicle registers.
- Contracting & staffing: follow the WHO procurement process (emergency and non-emergency); plan surge capacity for peaks.
- Power & cold chain: stable grid connection plus generator or equivalent backup; continuous temperature monitoring for sensitive products.
- Insurance: declare warehouse locations and stored values per WHO requirements and through WMS.
- GSDP audit: complete through online form.
Inventory Management 70. Maintain a documented stock strategy with defined categories, target levels, and a replenishment policy, developed jointly by the Supply Chain and Global Service Centre Department in coordination with WHE, Regional Offices, Country Offices, and Programmes, together with the relevant SMEs. - Stock categories: response vs contingency; central vs field; earmarked vs unearmarked; main/working vs buffer.
- Planning & replenishment: use demand forecasts and lead-times; define reorder points (ROP) including safety stock; coordinate turnover between issuing warehouses.
- Receiving: verify quantity, quality and documentation on arrival; record discrepancies; issue Goods Received Note (GRN); allocate to locations; update WMS.
- Requests & release: fulfill only with Stock Owner approval and funding compliance; pick/pack; prepare waybill and packing list; vehicle suitability check; update systems upon handover.
- Goods in transit: dedicated area; waybill as reference; limit to short stays (max 1-2 weeks) before system entry or onward dispatch.
- Batch/expiry controls: stack and record by PO, item code, batch and expiry; capture exact dates in WMS/GIMS (use last day of month if only MM/YYYY is provided).
- Verification: full physical inventory at least annually (1 June-15 October) and upon change of responsible officer; routine cycle/spot counts for high-risk items; investigate and resolve discrepancies promptly.
Emergency Readiness and Response 80. WHO maintains global and regional stockpiles and may support national prepositioning. Preparedness enables 72-hour deployment of priority items and rapid push operations, followed by refined pull distribution as needs data solidify. - Emergency readiness and response shall follow the WHO OSL Concept of Operations (CONOPS) outlined in the WHO eManual (Section XIII.3 and OSL Standard Workflow). OSL is responsible for maintaining this CONOPS, and each emergency response must be guided by a CONOPS plan covering supply planning, warehousing strategy, deployment timelines, and coordination mechanisms aligned with WHO's Strategic Response Plan (SRP) and Joint Operations Plan (JOP)
- For each donor award, procurement and distribution plans should align with approved timelines, quality assurance standards, and delivery requirements, with continuous monitoring and reporting by item, value, destination, and date.
Quality Assurance (GSDP) 90. A designated Responsible Person oversees compliance with national regulations and WHO standards. SOPs/WIs must be in place, staff trained, and records maintained, which constitute the Quality Management System (QMS). - Environmental controls: continuous temperature/humidity monitoring where required; validated cold chain; handling of dangerous goods and controlled drugs per national regulation.
- Quality checks: receiving inspections, pre-shipment checks, inventory accuracy checks, expiry monitoring, and environmental monitoring with documented results and corrective actions.
- Audits: comply with National Regulatory Authority inspections where applicable; conduct annual internal audits and self-inspections using WHO tools; share results and track closures.
- Incident management: record, investigate and correct any discrepancy or quality incident, including timely response to a national or international recall; update systems and notify stakeholders as per SOPs.
Rapid Warehouse Assessment 100. To strengthen quality assurance and ensure compliance with Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP), WHO mandates conducting a rapid warehouse assessment using the WHO GSDP Warehouse Rapid Assessment Tool available in Related Content at warehouse opening. This assessment provides a structured review of administrative, logistical, and GSDP aspects, including storage conditions, security, and operational capacity. It is particularly recommended for all existing WHO-managed or third-party warehouses and is mandatory prior to the opening of any new warehouse, except in emergency operations where rapid deployment is required. The assessment should be documented, validated by a qualified expert where possible, and any identified gaps must be addressed before stock is received. The tool is designed for use by logisticians and non-specialists and serves as a practical measure to mitigate risks in routine operation Technology, Systems and Data 110. Use corporate systems to ensure real-time visibility, traceability and IPSAS-compliant reporting. Offline tools may be used temporarily only where connectivity or capacity prevents daily use, with prompt back-entry. - Systems of record: WMS/GIMS for inventory accounting (mandatory); WHO Warehouse Management System (WMS) for operational execution and traceability (lots, expiry, LPNs, kitting).
- Identification & traceability: barcodes as standard; RFID where feasible for high-risk/high-value items.
- Business intelligence: use corporate dashboards for spend lead times, supplier performance and stock analytics to drive continuous improvement.
Sustainability and Environmental Management 120. The following sustainable and environmental management practices may be considered. - Expiry and waste minimization: proactive FEFO, rotation with programmes, and early reallocation/donation per policy.
- Disposal: segregate and dispose of expired or rejected items per WHO eManual and national regulations; document approvals and destruction (prefer MoH facilities for pharmaceuticals).
- Energy efficiency: progressive upgrades (LED lighting, HVAC maintenance, zoning, energy audits) with context-specific feasibility.
- Renewables: pilot solar and battery solutions where cost-effective and for critical loads (e.g., cold rooms).
- Transport efficiency: route optimization and consolidated loads to reduce emissions and costs.
Monitoring, Reporting and KPIs 130. The SCS Department, in coordination with WHE, Regional Offices, Country Offices, and Programmes, will provide regular visibility to Stock Owners/SMEs and management to guide replenishment and distribution decisions to ensure: - Inventory accuracy >= 95%.
- Inventory turnover: >= 3x/year (where shelf-life constraints apply).
- Carrying cost of inventory: year-on-year reduction target of 5%.
- Order-to-dispatch cycle time: defined baseline and continuous improvement.
- Share of stock with < 6 months to expiry and actions taken.
- 100% weekly stock reporting compliance for active emergency operations.
Ownership, Review & Effective Date 140. The Policy Owner will be the Supply Chain and Global Service Centre Department, in coordination with WHE, Regional Offices, Country Offices, and Programmes. This corporate policy is effective upon issuance and will be reviewed at least annually or following significant operational or regulatory changes. Local SOPs/WIs may provide additional details but must not contradict this policy. Annex A - Key SOPs & References (non-exhaustive) - OSS.SOP.XIII.001 Inventory: Recording & Reporting
- eManual XIII.3.2 Management of Inventory
- eManual XIII.3.3 Disposal of Inventory
- WHO GSDP/GDP guidance and applicable national regulations
- Warehouse Health & Safety and Fire Safety procedures
- HQ SOP: Handling quality Complaints
- HQ SOP for Handling recalls
- The optimum Shelf life for Modules/ Sets/Units of Emergency Health Kits (EHKs)
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