Annual Activity Report on SIAPS Mali FY13 Funds: October 2013–September 2014

Sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), SIAPS Mali has four major objectives: strengthen pharmaceutical sector governance, increase and enhance capacity for pharmaceutical supply management and services, ensure the use of information for decision-making, and improve pharmaceutical services to achieve desired health outcomes. In its first and second years, SIAPS interventions were focused on disseminating at the central and regional levels the Essential Medicines Supply and Distribution Plan (Schema Directeur d'Approvisionnement et de Distribution des Medicaments Essentiels, or SDADME), a document that describes Mali's supply chain and all the tools that actors in the pharmaceutical sector have to use to manage and track pharmaceuticals. SIAPS also conducted an assessment of the existing logistics management information system (LMIS), based on the findings, new LMIS standard operating procedures (SOPs) including reporting tools for each level of the system, were developed. A regional pool of trainers was also put in place to train users in operating the new system. During its third year, SIAPS focused on the implementation of the redesigned LMIS and the training of actors involved in stock management, with LMIS tools and trainings disseminated at the central and district levels. Support was also given to the Ministry of Health (MoH) for matters involving pharmaceutical governance, coordination, and dissemination of standards and norms. SIAPS also worked on strengthening the coordination and technical capacity of structures in the supply chain to improve quantification and supply planning. SIAPS helped the Directorate of Pharmacy and Medicines (Direction de la Pharmacie et du Médicament, or DPM) and the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) to improve existing quantification mechanisms (commodities forecasting and supply planning). A national committee that oversees and coordinates medicines supply chain was put in place. Its terms of reference (TOR) were updated, the roles and responsibilities of the members were clarified, and a calendar of activities was established to ensure that the work of the mechanism is implemented. SIAPS provided training to working groups for malaria and family planning to support quantification exercises. During this training, quantification guides and tools (Reality Check, Quantimed and Pipeline) were introduced to promote consistency, efficiency, and transparency in the quantification process. To remedy the deficiencies and reduce the gaps identified by Malian central medical store called Pharmacie Populaire du Mali (PPM), SIAPS assisted the PPM to develop a five-year strategic plan that will guide the organization on the goals to be achieved, key objectives and related interventions, direction, responsible parties, resources required, timelines and how to monitor the implementation of PPM activities towards accomplishment of a stronger and better PPM that meets minimum international standards of a public health procurement and supply chain management. To strengthen the pharmaceutical sector governance, SIAPS/Mali helped the DPM develop and disseminate a guideline for supportive supervision for the LMIS. This guideline aims to ensure that the LMIS is properly implemented and that the necessary support is provided to the users of the system. The guideline outlines the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders involved in the LMIS, as well as the procedures for conducting supportive supervision. The SIAPS program in Mali has made significant progress in strengthening the pharmaceutical sector governance, increasing and enhancing capacity for pharmaceutical supply management and services, ensuring the use of information for decision-making, and improving pharmaceutical services to achieve desired health outcomes. The program has helped to improve the availability of essential pharmaceutical products and optimal pharmaceutical services, and has contributed to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Global Health Initiative (GHI) objectives.