Equipment and Supplies
Step 7
In addition to the software and hardware described in Step 6, other types of equipment and supplies must be procured before the SMSS system is launched. This section provides an illustrative list of these.
Examples of Equipment and Supplies Purchased for the COMSA/SIS-COVE Project
The detailed list of equipment and supplies needed must not be overlooked in the process, especially when the system is being developed within an existing infrastructure and there are no dedicated procurement staff assigned. The need for equipment and supplies must be carefully documented at all levels (community, provincial, and central), from the community to the central level and these procured and assigned before actual data collection begins. Furthermore, care must be taken that some equipment has a warranty (e.g. computers) and additional spares available (e.g. cell phones).
Depending on the administrative processes, the procurement may take a long time to be completed, thus requiring early planning. We provide below an indicative list. However, each country and context must examine the appropriateness of and the need for each item listed. For example, while motorbikes and bicycles may be feasible in some places, they may not be practical in others.
Example of Equipment and Supplies Procured for COMSA/SIS-COVE
Vehicles
Transportation is a key challenge for implementing an SMSS, because of the widely dispersed clusters, some of which will be located in remote rural area. VASA data collectors at the province or regional level need to be able travel for data collection. One or two vehicles per region and or province will be needed, depending on the size of the area. The types of automobiles or motorbikes chosen will depend on the specific geography and transportation infrastructure. Fuel and maintenance costs can become a substantial budget item, and issues with repair and maintenance can lead to delays in data collection. In some areas, it may be helpful to provide community data collectors with bicycles.
Other types of equipment
Providing VASA and community data collectors with project-branded shirts and caps will improve their credibility in the community. Other supplies needed include backpacks, raincoats, boots, papers, and pens.
Figure 1: Some of the Equipment and Supplies used in COMSA/SIS-COVE 
Figure 2: COMSA/SIS-COVE Equipment and Supplies Seperated by Project Level
To Learn More:
Implementing Countrywide Mortality Surveillance Action in Mozambique: How Much Did It Cost? A peer-reviewed article presenting the costing analysis for 2019-2020.
| Last updated |
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| May 19, 2025 |