Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) focuses its investment in NTD control on seven of the 30 diseases classified by the World Health Organization as neglected. NTDs prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries and affect more than one billion people.[1] Access to NTD medicines is limited due to weaknesses in supply chain management (SCM) and logistics information systems. SIAPS provided technical assistance to strengthen pharmaceutical and supply chain management systems to improve access to medicines for NTDs.
Project Highlights
NTD SCM workshop in Ethiopia [Click to enlarge]
Conducted a zithromax SCM assessment for trachoma in Ethiopia to identify challenges in supply chain management
Supported the Ethiopian Ministry of Health to host the first of a series of NTD SCM workshops
Conducted an SCM assessment in Senegal to identify challenges in NTD medicine management to improve the SCM and rational use of neglected tropical disease drugs (NTDDs)
Conducted five comprehensive national health managers workshops for SCM for NTDDs in Ethiopia (40 participants from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda); Ghana (31 participants from Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria);
Nigeria (95 participants from all 35 states in the country); Benin (25 participants from Benin, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso); and Guinea (37 participants from Guinea, Senegal, Niger, and Mali)
[Click to enlarge]
In collaboration with Research Triangle Institute, developed the National NTD Program Managers training course and the NTDD supply management training manual
Developed guidance and standard operating procedures on the management of NTDD supplies throughout the supply chain for service providers, community health workers, community drug distributors, teachers, technical assistance providers, and public- and private-sector partners
Developed a NTDD waste management manual
Project Legacy
SIAPS developed guidelines and SOPs on the management of NTDD supplies throughout the supply chain and distribution process. These guidelines and SOPs can be tailored by NTD programs at the country level to review and enhance their own procedures for managing NTDDs, and such programs can develop or refine their own SOPs to support the proper implementation of their supply chain components.
The Way forward
Building an integrated NTD pharmaceutical supply chain and rational use approach will require strengthening the capacity of the pharmaceutical supply sector to ensure a better understanding of the unique demands of the NTD program
Full integration can be achieved through active engagement of the national supply chain pharmaceutical sector in the management of NTD products to enhance efficient use of resources, which will support NTD program management to focus on core NTD programmatic planning and manage the supply chain through the pharmaceutical service unit
