SIAPS has supported the Division: Pharmaceutical Services to conduct support supervisory visit (SSVs) to monitor and assess progress of the supported programs and provide recommendations to further strengthen implementation of pharmaceutical service delivery. The SSVs are used to monitor the extent of implementation of interventions aimed at strengthening pharmaceutical services in MRMDs, hospitals, and primary health care (PHC) facilities; identify challenges in the services; provide onsite support; and make recommendations to address the challenges. These visits are carried out once a year, and the SSV teams check whether issues identified from previous visits have been addressed. SIAPS has supported the MOHSS to implement strategies to strengthen the inventory management of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines and the ART pharmaceutical system. A stronger inventory management system will enable the country to cope with the scale-up of ART services, which increased quantities of health commodities and more complex inventory management tasks.
Using Support Supervisory Visits for Monitoring and Mentorship for Pharmaceutical Services Delivery in Namibia
Implementing a Dashboard for Pharmaceutical Information in Namibia
SIAPS supported the MoHSS to design and implement a web-based electronic information system (dashboard) for both patient and stock status in Namibia. It was designed to improve coordination among facility, district, regional, and national stakeholders involved in HIV commodity management; increase the use of pharmaceutical information for management decision making at all levels of health care; and improve planning for financial resources for pharmaceutical commodities. The dashboard comprises a module for monitoring 22 pharmaceutical services delivery indicators, a module that summarizes the number of people accessing ART services, and an early warning system against stock-outs of antiretrovirals (ARVs) and other essential medicines.
HIV and AIDS Commodity Management Tool for West Africa (OSPSIDA): Technical Guide
The West Africa Regional HIV Pharmaceutical Management Information Dashboard is developed and implemented for fifteen focus West African countries for better management of HIV and AIDS commodities. The goal of the Dashboard is to capture, track, aggregate, and disseminate information about antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), rapid test kits (RTKs), and other HIV and AIDS commodities to support evidence-based decision making in the West Africa subregion. The Dashboard will assist focus countries and subregional organizations in improving forecasting, supply planning, and procurement to support the continuous availability of ARVs, RTKs, and other HIV- and AIDS-related commodities.
HIV and AIDS Commodity Management Tool for West Africa (OSPSIDA): User Guide
The goal of the OSPSIDA Dashboard is to capture, track, aggregate, and disseminate information about antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), rapid test kits (RTKs), and other HIV and AIDS commodities to support evidence-based decision making in the West Africa subregion. The Dashboard offers regional partners a platform through which they may easily share information on funding flows and stock-out risks. The data available on this platform will be used to inform decision making and assist in identifying solutions to mitigate risks in the short-, medium-, and long-term. This User Guide assists users to make entries into the OSPSIDA Dashboard smoothly. The user guide has step-by-step guidance on how to access the dashboard, enter information, and generate reports.
Establishing Pooled Procurement Systems among Faith-Based Organizations: A Guidance Document for Successful Implementation
Faith-based organizations play a vital role in many developing countries in ensuring access to essential medicines and delivering health services to patients. This is particularly the case in rural areas, where public health facilities do not exist or are inadequate. However, many faith-based organizations face challenges with providing a continuous supply and reliable availability of essential medicines. The influx of poor-quality (counterfeit) medicines on the African continent is also a growing challenge. Furthermore, weak regulatory systems, poor enforcement of regulatory laws, and challenges associated with procurement and distribution of medicines by faith-based organization in many countries have resulted in varying approaches and designs of procurement mechanisms in this sector that are inefficient and not cost-effective.
Assessment of the World Health Organization’s HIV Drug Resistance Early Warning Indicators in Main and Decentralized Outreach Antiretroviral Therapy Sites in Namibia
Mutenda N, Bukowski A, Nitschke AM, Nakanyala T, Hamunime N, Mekonen T, Tjituka F, Mazibuko G, Mwinga S, Mabirizi D, Sagwa E, Indongo R, Dean N, Jordan MR, Hong SY. Assessment of the World Health Organization’s HIV drug resistance early warning indicators in main and decentralized outreach antiretroviral therapy sites in Namibia. PLOS One. 2016.
“Continuing Pharmaceutical Education: Guide to Establishing Quality Assured and Accredited Programs”
Facility-Level Practices and Behaviors That Affect Performance of the Antiretroviral Medicine Supply Chain
In an effective supply chain there are timely and efficient flows of information (on commodities and patients) and quality products between the supplying units (central and regional medical stores [CMS/RMS]) and the health facilities. Although much has been learned about how to measure, monitor, and improve supply chain performance for antiretrovirals (ARVs) at the central and regional levels, less has been done to identify and measure “downstream factors” at the health facility that have an impact on the performance of the “upstream” (central) supply chain indicators.
The aim of this activity is to identify and define facility-level practices that have an impact on the supply chain, determine how these practices are linked with central-level supply chain performance measures, and propose a methodology and study design for a rigorous, empirical study to understand and estimate the impact on the identified facility-level behaviors and practices and central-level supply chain performance. Linking facility-level practices and behaviors to the “upstream” supply chain measures will substantially support efforts to improve the performance of the supply chain, such as the accuracy of quantification and forecasting activities.
Assessment of Compliance of Outpatient Prescribing with the Namibia Standard Treatment Guidelines in Public Sector Health Facilities
The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), in partnership with the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program, funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH), conducted an assessment of compliance of prescribers with the Namibia Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) and changes in prescribing practices for selected conditions. The first comprehensive Namibia STGs were launched and distributed to all health facilities in the country in 2011. The main objectives of the assessment were to determine the extent of compliance of prescribers with the STGs, and to compare prescribing practices before and after the roll out of the STGs. The assessment also aimed to explore factors associated with compliance and to find out what activities were implemented in health facilities and regions to promote compliance with the STGs.
Information Systems and Coordination for Managing HIV and AIDS Related Commodities
The West and Central African regions have a low HIV prevalence. Because of the low number of patients on ART and limited technical and financial support, these regions have experienced frequent stock-outs of ARVs posing a serious risk to patients on ART and increasing the risk of HIV drug resistance in the region. As a key step in addressing this challenge, the West Africa Regional Health Office of the US Agency for International Development is providing support through the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program to address the recurring pharmaceutical supply management issues by supporting the regional coordination mechanism and the development and implementation of an early warning system (EWS) for antiretrovirals (ARVs) and HIV and AIDS related commodities.
As part of project startup, SIAPS conducted a situational analysis in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea, Niger, and Togo to gain an understanding of the current capacity for HIV and AIDS commodities management and supply. Also analyzed was the readiness of the HIV and AIDS commodities information management systems to provide the information necessary for routine monitoring of HIV and AIDS product availability in the region.
