E-drug: Uganda drug supply system study
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Dear E-druggers,
The Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with its health
sector development partners wishes to commission a consultancy
to carry out a detailed review of the drug supply systems currently
operating in the public sector in Uganda in order to accurately
characterise these systems, identify strengths and weaknesses and
to obtain recommendations for the development of a single,
integrated, comprehensive and effective system.
As a preliminary step, any expressions of interest from potential
consultants or consultancy teams should be sent to
chris.hssp@imul.com by the end of November 2001 together with
brief CVs and/or consultancy company profiles as appropriate.
Complete TORs for the study can be made available as email
attachments to interested parties on request.
Purpose of the Study:
To provide information and recommendations to assist stakeholders
in the health sector in Uganda to reach consensus on the need for,
nature of and requirements for a comprehensive integrated drug
supply system to be adopted for public-provided health services in
the medium term (ie. including Private-Not-For-Profit (PNFP)
institutions which currently receive public funding support). It
should also enable the MoH to define appropriate policy for the
organisation of the various components of the Uganda drug supply
system (including financing, procurement & distribution) in order to
ensure the reliable availability of and equity of access to required
essential drugs.
Study Objectives:
1. To review the existing drug supply systems (including drug
financing, estimation of needs, procurement, storage, inventory
control and distribution systems) operating in the public sector, and
to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each. Emphasis should
be given in particular to the means of securing reliable and adequate
drug supplies and thus drug financing and procurement (including
quantification of requirements) should be given due prominence.
2. To define the key criteria (agreed by key stakeholders) necessary
to guide the development of a model for a comprehensive
integrated drug supply system in Uganda.
3. Using the agreed key criteria, to propose modalities for the future
organisation of public sector drug supply (including drug financing,
procurement, storage and distribution).
In terms of drug procurement, clear advice should be given in the
context of the need to support the current GoU procurement reform
programme, which does not currently address this issue. This
advice should include the roles, structures and capacity-building
requirements of the various entities (MoH HQ, MoH Department of
Pharmaceutical Services and Health Supplies, MoH District Health
Teams, local governments and others) who will be involved in
planning, coordinating, implementing or monitoring drug
procurement.
The study should examine the feasibility and timing of the
introduction of an order-based supply system to replace the current
Essential Drugs kit supply system.
In terms of financing, the study should also include advice on the
financing of subsidies for drug procurement (as an interim measure
pending adequate funding of an accurately quantified national drug
requirement) and of a system for the rapid provision of emergency
supplies.
4. Assess the need for a national agency for the procurement
and/or storage and/or distribution of drugs and supplies and
describe its role in the proposed modalities for a reformed drug
supply system.
5. In the course of the overall review of the current drug supply
system the study should review the function/role and performance
of NMS (including where related to activities not under their
mandate)
6. To identify the implications of the proposed modalities and
associated recommendations for the future role, function and status
(eg. parastatal, semi-privatised or private company) of the National
Medical Stores (NMS) in the national drug supply process.
7. To describe an appropriate time frame and implementation
schedule for establishing the proposed modalities for the reformed
drug supply system.
8. To identify any changes in legislation which would be required
for implementation of the proposed modalities for the reformed drug
supply system.
The study is expected to be carried out in two phases - a first
preparatory consultative phase of 14 days followed immediately by
the substantive study phase of 28 days.
Chris Forshaw
Pharmaceutical Advisor
National Drug Authority
and Ministry of Health Task Force on Drug Management
Danida Uganda Health Sector Support Programme
c/o Royal Danish Embassy, PO Box 11243, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: (+256) 77 76 01 76 (mobile)
Tel/fax: (+256) 41 343 750 (home)
Email: chris.hssp@imul.com
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