The Need Medicine Distribution in D.R. Congo There are only two pharmaceutical depots that are operational in the three districts of Ituri, Haut- and Bas-Uélé of the Oriental Province, an area with a population of over two million people. In 1998, there was only one depot in Bunia for all three districts, and it was capable of serving only a handful of health facilities. Medair worked to boost that depot’s capacity so that it could reach more health zones, but soon too many requests came in from health clinics that were too far away to be managed. In 2001, Medair facilitated the opening of a second depot in Isiro, 600 kilometres from Bunia. These two pharmacies joined together last year to better serve their extensive catchment area, with Bunia functioning as the main base and Isiro as a branch office. This newly created pharmacy is called CADIMEBU (Centrale d’Achats et de Distribution des Médicaments Essentiels de Bunia), and the new national drug procurement system has officially designated CADIMEBU as the CDR (Centrale de Distribution Régionale), a title given only to one main depot per region. At this time, the capacity of the young CADIMEBU urgently needs to be strengthened. The demand for medicines is on the rise from every corner of northeast DRC, and CADIMEBU must be ready and able to respond. Most importantly, CADIMEBU needs to receive guidance as it makes the transition from a humanitarian-supported activity to a sustainable business model. Our Response Hire a Qualified Business Development Manager At this formative stage, CADIMEBU needs an experienced Business Development Manager who can help provide mentorship and lay a solid foundation for future growth. Positions such as this are difficult to fill for humanitarian organisations, especially when the work takes place in remote field locations. However, after an extensive search, Medair hired an impressively qualified manager to be a consultant and advisor to CADIMEBU. He is studying the viability of the current business and developing a three-year plan that will focus on helping to make CADIMEBU self-sustainable. With Your Support Our experienced Business Development Manager is providing CADIMEBU with a strong foundation to extend its area of coverage into more health zones to reach more vulnerable and isolated people. Most importantly, the Congolese health system will benefit immensely from a strong CADIMEBU, helping enable them to move away from dependence on relief aid toward a model of self-sustainability. At this time, we are seeking US$ 19,300 to help support the activities of our Business Development Manager for CADIMEBU.