|
|
NewslettersSearchEvents
Upcoming events |
DSOsInventory and Accounting Software for EPN Drug Supply OrganizationsThe 2004 Multi-Country Study into Medicine Supply Activities of EPN affiliated DRUG Supply Organizations (DSOs) revealed that very few of the organizations surveyed were using finance and/or inventory software. The DSOs reported that no suitable and affordable software programs existed. It was also mentioned that staff lacked knowledge and experience in working with computerized systems. Several of the DSOs have meanwhile considered or even implemented various software packages. This study aimed at sharing experience gained and using the lessons learned to make recommendations to the EPN DSOs. DSO Project DocumentThe DSO project was developed by representatives of 16 DSOs in a participative workshop setting, in June 2004, in Nairobi, Kenya. View or download the DSO project document [.pdf 150Kb] [.doc 441Kb] 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. Procurement and supply management (PSM) forecast quantification toolbox now availableThe PSM Toolbox has been developed to serve as a central platform of HIV-related PSM tools for health procurement and supply staff in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, many aspects of the toolbox can help with the forecast quantification of other medicines. Around 100 tools were compiled for a first Toolbox meeting in January 2007 organized by WHO/AMDS and hosted by IDA Solutions. At this meeting, tool developers, tool users and international PSM experts reviewed the available tools and created the content of the Toolbox included on this CD-ROM. The Toolbox also exists in an online version, which can be found at http://www.psmtoolbox.org. The website is searchable and contains a forum for tool users to share their experiences and ask questions. Both versions of the Toolbox will be updated on a regular basis. Are you paying too much for ARVs? A summary report from the WHO global price reporting mechanism on antiretroviral medicines has been published (February 2008), which includes the transaction prices paid by low- and middle-income countries for antiretroviral medicines for adult treatment, from 2004 to 2007. Download report http://www.who.int/entity/hiv/amds/GPRMFeb2008.pdf [.pdf 258Kb] Visit the WHO/AMDS Global Price Reporting Mechanism (GPRM) web page (and report transaction prices online) at http://www.who.int/hiv/amds/gprm/en/index.html Faith-based Drug Supply Organizations strategic planning meeting14 Apr 2008 - 8:00am 15 Apr 2008 - 6:00pm Etc/GMT+3 In August 2007, the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) held an advocacy skills building workshop for its members. The participants at the workshop were representatives from faith-based Drug Supply Organizations (DSOs) in Africa. During the meeting discussions were held on how best these organizations can have greater impact as they conduct their activities. Due to increased competition from global and in-country supply bodies, these organizations need to develop ways to have greater effects. It is with this in mind that EPN will hold a strategic planning meeting on 14th and 15th April 2008, in Dar es Salaam Tanzania with heads of Christian Health Associations (CHAs) and, heads and board chairs of drug supply units. The purposes of the meeting are to: Standard Operating Procedures and Training of Trainers' Workshop1 Oct 2007 - 8:00am 3 Oct 2007 - 6:00pm Etc/GMT+3 The purpose of this workshop is to build capacity on how to develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) at the Drug Supply Organizations (DSO) and Church Health Institutions (CHI) which leads to efficient procurement and distribution operations. The participants will represent Joint Medical Stores (JMS) - Uganda, Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) - Kenya, Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) - Malawi and, Mission for Essential Medicine and Supplies(MEMS) - Tanzania. After the meeting the participants are not only expected to develop plans and action points that can be implemented in their organizations but also to develop a draft training plan to involve the DSOs and CHIs in their networks in developing their SOPs. DSOs activities 2004 - 2007In 2004, Drug Supply Organizations (DSOs) met in Nairobi, Kenya for a meeting to discuss the findings of the multi-country study of medicine and distribution activities of faith-based organizations in sub-Saharan African countries. From the study, various areas were identified to be in need of improvement. They are: quality assurance, training, distribution and delivery services, procurement, storage and drug management capacity, sustainability of DSO operations and collaboration. Click on the links below to see what various DSOs have done towards improving these areas. (DSOs that have not submitted their written reports are requested to do so). Drug Distribution study reportThe 2004 Multi-Country Study for faith-based drug supply organizations (DSOs) conducted by EPN in collaboration with WHO showed that DSOs customers were generally pleased with the services provided. However one area that needed to be improved on was in drug distribution and delivery. To improve on this situation, the EPN secretariat commissioned a study to be conducted in ten DSOs in Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. This study was done in order to identify ways for the DSOs to improve their distribution services. A feedback meeting to discuss the findings and recommendations in this report will take place from 13th – 17th August 2007 in Lagos, Nigeria. Drug Supply Organizations feedback meeting13 Aug 2007 - 8:00am 17 Aug 2007 - 5:00pm Etc/GMT+3 The EPN Secretariat has in the last few months commissioned a number of studies in the 'Access to essential medicines' programme specifically in the area of Drug Supply Organizations (DSO). They include distribution study, production study, quality control laboratory study and computer software options study. To discuss the recommendations of these studies a meeting involving both Anglophone and Francophone Drug Supply Organizations will be held in Lagos, Nigeria from 13th – 17th August 2007. The meeting will also provide a forum for the participants to discuss issues that are going to affect pharmaceutical services in the near future including topics like pharmaceutical supply chain, antibiotic resistance, rational use of medicines and pharmacovigilance.  |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Email a friend