SIAPS Voices: A new push to improve access to lifesaving medicines for RMNCH

An interview with Sheena Patel, technical advisor for maternal, newborn and child health activities at SIAPS The health of women and children is critical to the overall health and prosperity of a country—and the world. Can you talk a bit about why? The most obvious reason is that when women and children are healthy, they … Read more

SIAPS Voices Blog Series

  Working for improved access to HIV treatment in Namibia Greatjoy Mazibuko, SIAPS Senior Technical Manager in Namibia Rebuilding Sierra Leone’s pharmaceutical system post-Ebola Murtada Sesay, SIAPS Country Project Director in Sierra Leone Can we vanquish malaria for good? Andwele Mwansasu, MD, SIAPS Senior Technical Advisor A new push to improve access to lifesaving medicines … Read more

Focus on Scale

Key to the success of any health systems strengthening project is whether it effects broad, sustainable, institutional change.  Sound strategic planning can grow a successful hospital pilot program into a nationwide health intervention that improves lives.  The examples below show the SIAPS program’s work in bringing pharmaceutical systems strengthening interventions to scale.     Technical Publication: Transforming Pharmaceutical … Read more

How can private medicine vendors help fight drug-resistant TB?

Tuberculosis is one of the world’s deadliest diseases, and multi-drug resistant TB has contributed significantly to the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance. Yet in many of the countries most burdened by the disease, about half of those who have TB see private medicine vendors before any other health care professional. That can compound the … Read more

SIAPS Special Technical Brief Series

A new collection of technical briefs highlight strategic approaches, innovations, results and lessons learned in implementing systems-wide interventions to strengthen pharmaceutical systems and services in three countries: South Africa, Namibia and Ethiopia. Click on the thumbnails below to read the full technical briefs. Strengthening Namibia’s Pharmacy Sector and Workforce Strengthening the Leadership and Management of … Read more

Saving the Most Vulnerable from Malaria in South Sudan

By Abraham Ayuen, Senior Communications Specialist for SIAPS South Sudan.  This post originally appeared on MSH’s website.   Six-year-old Yohana Peter clutched a bottle of mango juice as he waited for his medication outside a pharmacy at Al Sabah Children’s Hospital in Juba, South Sudan. Seated next to his mother on a metal bench, Yohana looked anxious. … Read more

Changing Systems to Change Lives in Ethiopia: Aster’s Story

By Tsion Issayas, Communications Manager for SIAPS Ethiopia.  This post originally appeared on MSH’s website.    Aster Amanuel Desalegn lives in Debre Markos, 190 miles from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. She is a 70-year-old mother of four and grandmother of two. Her granddaughters, Emuye, 6, and Blen, 8, live with her. On a trip back … Read more

Reducing Newborn and Child Deaths through Public-private Partnerships in Bangladesh

By Liza Talukder, Communications Technical Advisor and Dr. Seikh Asiruddin, Senior Technical Advisor for SIAPS Bangladesh.  This post originally appeared on MSH’s website.    Tama, a resident of Parokhali village in the Khulna district of Bangladesh, was devastated when her 15-day-old daughter was diagnosed with pneumonia-related complications and needed treatment, including immediate oxygen support. Following instructions from the … Read more