In the past, logistics was considered a custodial activity. Storekeepers were the custodians of supplies stored
in small storerooms and large warehouses. Consequently, the science (and art) of logistics, and the people
who make the health logistics system work, were not considered an important part of family planning,
HIV and AIDS, or vaccination programs—to name only a few. Fortunately, as time passed, more and
more program managers have come to understand how important logistics is to a program’s success.