Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Details for Mechanism ID: 12476
Country/Region: Uganda
Year: 2010
Main Partner: Management Sciences for Health
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: NGO
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $3,284,696

The mandate of the Securing Uganda's Right to Essential Medicines (SURE) project is to ensure that the population of Uganda has access to adequate quantities of good quality essential medicines and health supplies (EMHS) by strengthening the national essential medicines and health commodities supply system. The SURE team of Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Euro Health Group (EHG), Fuel Group/Pharmaceutical Healthcare Distributors (PHD), and Makerere University has designed a technical approach to transform Uganda's pharmaceutical supply system by clarifying and harmonizing pharmaceutical policy, finance and regulatory frameworks, strengthening financial and performance management at all levels, and strengthening the capacity of National Medical Stores (NMS) to serve as the hub of a newly effective and revitalized supply chain for EMHS. SURE will also develop a strategy for selecting the best alternative options in case policy reform fails to produce an environment conducive to long-term success, particularly in the case of NMS.

The SURE project will expand upon the progress made over the past five years by working with all key stakeholders to build capacity from the top of the health system to the bottom, integrate the government's vertical program supply systems from side to side, and establish a logistics management information system (LMIS) that provides full transparency at all system levels. To tackle the policy, finance, supply chain, and capacity building issues key to achieving project goals and objectives, the SURE team will use a combination of technical approaches and tools, all grounded in decades of experience, to strengthen pharmaceutical management, supply chain/logistics, and financial systems in Uganda. By the project's end, SURE will leave a functional supply chain system at central and district levels with the necessary tools, approaches, skills and coordinating mechanisms that will allow the GOU to maintain and expand on these investments.

During the planning and development process in Year 1, SURE will ensure that existing services and programs, such as logistics data reporting for HIV/AIDS commodities, will be maintained so that there are no disruptions to supply.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $3,284,696

In Year 1, SURE will work with all key stakeholders to develop a master supply chain management implementation plan. The consultative process includes an initial Policy Options Analysis (POA) to identify specific reforms needed in policies affecting the supply chain (e.g. financing and cash flow, product selection, procurement, distribution, HR, three-year rolling procurement plan), define the specific changes needed to remove roadblocks, determine the feasibility of proposed changes, and obtain necessary commitments for change. The POA combines political mapping, indicator-based measurement of system performance and analysis of operating costs and efficiency of the supply chain. The outcome of the process will be stakeholder consensus and memoranda of understanding with key GoU agencies and donor partners that clearly define each relevant agency's role, responsibilities, milestones and timelines which correspond with the master implementation plan.

Also in Year 1, SURE will design and pilot an integrated supply chain and logistics management information system in selected districts. The integrated supply chain model will feature cost-effective innovative solutions to minimize stock-outs and leakage, information on district-level baseline indicators to track performance, and stronger linkages between the central level, the district, health sub-districts, and facilities. SURE will support NMS to improve procurement practices, central warehousing, transport and distribution. In year 1, GOU/MOH stakeholders will be trained on quantification procedures and NMS and MOH managers at central level will receive training on financial management and leadership and management. For capacity building, a key focus will be on developing standard operating procedures for supply chain functions, including financial management and procurement. In Year 2, SURE will develop and implement appropriate curricula for pre- and in-service training in priority areas such as procurement, procurement management, warehouse management, distribution/transport management at the NMS, financial management skills, use of management information systems, quantification skills at the national and district levels, and organizational management and strategic planning for senior managers in the MoH and NMS.

All MOH health services, including malaria and FP/RH services, will benefit from SURE's supply chain system strengthening activities by increasing the availability and accessibility of essential medicines and health supplies to clients of government and non-governmental health facilities. The MOH and World Bank have proposed that funds from the WB health sector loan (scheduled to be available next year) be used to roll-out SURE's district-level interventions in districts not included in the program.

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Subpartners Total: $0
Euro Health Group: NA
Fuel PHD: NA
Makerere University: NA