The DSO project was developed by representatives of 16 DSOs in a participative workshop setting, in June 2004, in Nairobi, Kenya. Download the DSO project document here:  Enhancing the capacity and sustainability of faith-based drug supply organizations (149.67 kB)

The participants of the WHO/EPN Multi-country Study met for a feedback meeting to review the study findings and identify ways forward. Working together, they identified priority steps to increase their sustainability and capacities.

The priority areas identified by the group were as follows:

• Quality assurance
• Sustainability
• Access to medicines
• Staff and organizational training
• DSO storage and management capacities
• Collaboration
• Distribution services      

This project particularly focuses on those interventions that benefit from economies of scale by being achieved centrally, while benefiting organizations across the region and, indeed, in other resource-poor regions, with advice and information.

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DSO Project Summary   

Project title: Enhancing the capacity and sustainability of faith-based drug supply organizations 

Following the successful WHO/EPN Multi-country Study of Medicine Supply and Distribution Activities of Faith-Based Organizations in Sub-Saharan African Countries, and a subsequent feedback meeting, a number of priority steps were identified. These steps aim to develop the sustainability and capacity of faith-based drug supply organizations (DSOs) that work in resource-poor environments and are key to widespread access to HIV and AIDS, malaria, and TB treatments. This project aims to carry out activities towards achieving these steps. The initial study and the feedback meeting were multi-country activities, and it is believed that the priority beneficiaries of this project will also be in multiple countries.

Objectives

• Increased capacity of DSOs to monitor and evaluate themselves for better feedback and management information
• Increased capacity of DSOs in key organizational, service, and staffing areas
• Increased networking between DSOs that supports information sharing and capacity development   

Activities

• Objective 1: creation of a self-assessment tool to be used to monitor progress against the characteristics of a functioning DSO.
• Objective 2:     
  
  • Design and draw together more detailed DSO-specific capacity building tools and “how to” manuals, focusing on quality assurance and other key areas.
  • The facilitation of processes that develop DSO staff and institutional capacities.
  • Undertake a feasibility study that details the most common distribution models for the DSOs, and compares the strengths and weaknesses behind current DSO distribution services and contracting out options.
  • Identify appropriate stock management computer software options and make the information available to the DSOs.            

• Objective 3: support DSOs’ access to information through the provision of information portal services through the EPN website        

Period: this project was to be carried out over two years.

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