Receiving the donations that pour into a disaster-stricken country is not an easy task. The flow of solicited and unsolicited relief supplies is often so overwhelming that it exceeds the ability of the country or an NGO to handle it.
This section contains practical information on the management of humanitarian supplies. It was prepared by the Humanitarian Supply System, to help both donors and recipients when a disaster occurs.
Preparing and dispatching donated supplies +
PAHO/WHO has developed the SUMA system, a methodology that helps strengthen the preparedness and management capacity of the organizations that receive relief supplies. SUMA helps countries effectively and transparently manage the large-scale influx of humanitarian supplies.
SUMA classification categories +
Priority level - SUMA methodology +
Priority 1: URGENT-IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION: items that require immediate distribution at the site of the emergency.
Use Priority 2: NON-URGENT DISTRIBUTION for other items which are not of immediate use in the emergency phase, but still may be of use later during reconstruction or development.