Situational analysis for UNICEF Supply Division Assignment

Situational analysis for UNICEF Supply Division - Assignment Example Rather than seeking to treat the myriad of illnesses that contribute to diarrhea and/or dehydration, the better approach would be to find a way to treat the symptoms to greatly reduce the risk that death or serious injury to the patient will occur. Due to the high number of shareholders that any and all UNICEF programs ultimately reach, a prime determinate that is always engaged is the necessity to keep costs down per patient and per treatment. As a function of this, oral rehydration salts have proven to be an effective means of countering the negative effects of diarrhea and the dehydration and death that it can ultimately cause. Furthermore, the utilization of oral rehydration salts (ORS) is one of the most cost effective means of treatment that exists. In such a way, the reader can and should understand that ORS, when purchased and applied to affected communities in bulk can cost but a few dollars per application. This determinant is extremely important as it must be considered wi thin the context of how UNICEF divides and utilizes a limited budget that has many other health goals that are clamoring for attention. As a function of the needs that are represented within the environment, the realities of the marketplace, the overall cost of application of such a means of treatment, and the positioning that such a utilization would infer, this analysis will seek to draw an inference based upon these determinants. Oral rehydration salts (ORS) are one of the few medical treatments that have changed little since their introduction. Preliminary application of ORS has been traced as far back as the year 1500 BC in India. However, the use and application of ORS within the current era has continued to develop as medical science and an understanding how the body responds to dehydration treatments has grown. According to the recent formula released by UNICEF, ORS can and should consist of the following: sodium chloride, anhydrous glucose, potassium chloride, trisodium cit rate, and dehydrate. What is unique about each of these ingredients is the fact that they are readily available and of an extremely low cost in almost each and every nation or state that they might be utilized within. This represents an extreme advantage for such a treatment due to the fact that further application and support of such an endeavor will meant that UNICEF will be able to accomplish a great deal of good with limited investment. Such opportunities fit perfectly into the underlying goals and mission that UNICEF seeks to support. Although there are many world health issues that UNICEF integrates with and seeks to provide amelioration for, this particular issue is one that a relatively low investment could seek to fully cover (Walker et al, 2009). Furthermore, as a function of the low cost of treatment that this remediation represents, there will be few supply and demand issues that will impact negatively on the overall availability or cost. This is not to say that swings i n the global pharmaceutical market will not affect ORS and its application; however, it is safe to assume that as a function of the simplicity of the formula which has been elaborated upon that any demand or supply swings will have a minimal affect on the pricing structure that will be realized within the market (About the Commission, 2011). An Overview of the Commodity Market Furthermore, as has been briefly elaborated upon