Uganda Health Supply Chain

2014
2020
USAID
Uganda

In a consortium led by Management Sciences for Health, Euro Health Group implemented the USAID/Uganda Health Supply Chain (USHC) Project from 2014 to 2020.

The overarching goal of the UHSC was to improve the health status of the Ugandan population by increasing the availability, accessibility and appropriate use of essential medicines and health supplies (EMHS), including reproductive health, maternal, new born, and child health (RMNCH) commodities.

The objective was achieved through three main intermediate results:

1) national policies and strategies support cost-effective, equitable and transparent use of available EMHS resources;
2) country capacity strengthened for effective management and utilization of EMHS; and
3) increased availability and access to EMHS for priority populations.

The technical strategy of the UHSC built on the objectives and accomplishments of the project Securing Ugandans Right to Essential Medicines (SURE) 2009-2014, while creating innovative approaches to addressing the expanded scope of the program. The implementation approach was based on the following core principles:

- Build on and strengthen existing systems: provide technical support to both address the most pressing needs in the short term, while building on existing systems and boosting local capacity to increase country ownership.

- Support integration: work with Uganda to harmonize supply chains and pharmaceutical management information systems, to operate as efficiently as possible.

- Build the capacity of local organizations and counterparts: increase local capacity and minimise “parachute” assistance—including working with local organizations that can sustainably and reliably provide in-country pharmaceutical sector support.

- Support country-led coordination: capacitate governing bodies to create and use mechanisms for in-country stakeholder collaboration to optimize donor resources, coordinate pharmaceutical management planning, and harmonize tools and approaches.

- Continually monitor and evaluate: use a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems based on a combination of cost-effective and rigorous methods and activities that enable us to adapt to changing conditions and make mid-course corrections as necessary. Our operations research informs our work as well as other health system strengthening efforts.

- Share knowledge and information: implementation of a  knowledge management strategy that assures  the MoH, USAID, and other key stakeholders receive the information they need to monitor program progress, avoid duplication of efforts, and use the lessons learned and best practices to improve complementary activities.

The specific role of Euro Health Group was to provide short- and long-term technical assistance for support of successful implementation of the UHSC, especially in the areas of M&E, Finance and IT including PIP, RxSolution, QPPU, GPP, MIS and data utilization and IT system development. Other consortium partners included Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development; Harvard University/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc.; Imperial Health Sciences (South Africa); and Makerere University (Uganda).