Benin

Project Dates: 2011 – 2017

Background

Benin, like other low- and middle-income countries, continues to face challenges in the delivery of pharmaceutical services. Operational gaps include weaknesses in institutional and human-resource capacity to manage commodities, lack of logistics information, and lack of capacity to monitor medicine availability and use. These gaps contribute to the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines, stock-outs and overstock of commodities, and inappropriate use of medicines with negative consequences on health outcomes.

Following the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, USAID’s mission in Benin requested that SIAPS Program provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health to improve pharmaceutical management.

SIAPS’ technical assistance started with a multistakeholder consultative, nationally representative public health supply-system assessment. Findings and stakeholder-endorsed recommendations from this assessment informed USAID’s selection of priority areas to be addressed by SIAPS.

Project Highlights

  • Strengthened the medicine registration process: SIAPS supported the Pharmacy Department (DPMED) in strengthening the medicine registration process and the information management system. They provided equipment to optimize the existing electronic medicine registration tool and enhanced the efficiency of the process. SIAPS then assisted DPMED in processing a huge backlog of registration applications. An assessment of DPMED informed the course of action focusing on functionality and optimization of the existing electronic tool for registration for medicines and its related SOPs.
  • Engaged in capacity building to improve pharmaceutical service delivery: SIAPS supported the MOH in establishing guidelines for quantification of Ebola products and supported DPMED and the National Directorate for Public Health (DNSP)to finalize the Ebola standard operating procedures manual.
  • Analyzing stock availability of malaria commodities: SIAPS supported end user verification surveys to track and report on the availability of malaria health commodities, medicines, and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). Survey findings in 2016 showed that 15% of visited health facilities had stock-outs of RDTs on the day of the visit, and 18% experienced 3 days or more of stock-outs for this product during the previous 3 months.
  • Improved logistics: SIAPS conducted training workshops in collaboration with the DNSP on the new Ebola logistics SOPs and also developed a training manual on using LMIS tools. Trainees included store managers and other health professionals; 42 staff from 34 health districts were trained.

Results

  • The five-year (2016–2020) strategic plan for supply chain management was finalized along with budgeted implementation cost in coordination with DPMED.
  • The legal status of the zonal depots was approved by MOH.
  • The National Quantification Committee for Ebola Commodities was established, which undertook the quantification. In addition, a standard list of Ebola commodities and the SOPs manual for the management of Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fevers were developed.

Legacy

SIAPS implemented Ebola-related activities through support to the DPMED, DNSP, and the National Medical Stores and provided technical assistance to strengthen the pharmaceutical system for emergency situations. Boosting pharmaceutical supply and delivery resilience has contributed to the preparedness for, prevention and detection of, and response to emerging disease threats. The bolstered system improved its response to the recent outbreak of Lassa fever.

Resources