UNFPA maintains a stock of essential Inter-Agency Emergency Health Kits (IARH) ready to ship for urgent and emergency requests. This manual contains key descriptions of the kits, how to order them and manage their use.

The United Nations procures goods and services from suppliers all over the world to support its activities and operations. Procurement statistics have been collected from organizations in the United Nations system and reported together since 1984, through the Annual Statistical Report on United Nations Procurement (ASR).

This edition includes a highlight about UNFPA procurement for humanitarian response (page 13).

UNFPA maintains stock of 18 different essential reproductive health kits (RH Kits), ready to ship for urgent and emergency requests. The kits are divided into three blocks, and are designed to respond to three month's need for various population sizes. The individual kits are small enough and have convenient packaging, enabling them to be handled by one or two people. All boxes are clearly marked on the outside with the kit number, a distinct color for each kit, as well as a description of contents, consignee and other relevant information.