Capacity Building in Supply Chain Management of ARV Drugs and HIV Tests

SCMS procures and distributes essential medicines and health supplies, strengthens existing supply chains, and facilitates collaboration among key donors and service providers. The project is managed by the US Agency for International Development and is funded by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). SCMS achieved an improved overall on-time delivery (OTD) of 85 percent for FY14 Q3, marking an all-time high performance. This improvement was driven by enhanced vendor on-time delivery and better performance in high-impact countries. During the quarter, SCMS delivered $110.4 million in commodities via 879 shipments, including the first shipment to Afghanistan in May. The supply situation for Tenofovir/Lamivudine/Efavirenz has improved, with four manufacturers having tentative FDA approval and increased production capacity. However, challenges persist in the supply chain, particularly in Burundi, Uganda, and Zambia, where stockouts, potential stockouts, and overstocking of several commodities, including ARVs, Cotrimoxazole, and lab products, are creating challenges. SCMS is working to mitigate stockout risks and alleviate existing stockouts. Additionally, the recent WHO guidance and directive from PEPFAR indicating that forceps-guided male circumcisions should not be performed in boys aged 10-14 is expected to have a significant impact on PEPFAR-funded programs, including SCMS. Key statistics for FY14 Q3 include: - $110.4 million in commodities delivered - 879 deliveries made - 28 countries receiving shipments - 97% of generic ARVs by value - 0 counterfeit products detected In terms of system strengthening, SCMS has made progress in several areas, including: - Strategic plans: 35% of countries have developed strategic plans, up from 33% in FY13 Q4 - FASP country ownership: 64% of countries have demonstrated FASP country ownership, up from 50% in FY13 Q4 - SOPs: 82% of countries have developed SOPs, up from 66% in FY13 Q4 - Competency: 78% of countries have demonstrated competency, up from 76% in FY14 Q2 Supply chain performance in-country has also improved, with: - Facility reporting rates: 76% of facilities are reporting, up from 66% in FY14 Q2 - Expiry rates: 0.29% of products have expired, down from 1% in FY14 Q2 - On-time delivery: 90% of deliveries are on-time, up from 80% in FY14 Q2 - Stockout rate: 6% of products are stockout, down from 9% in FY14 Q2 - Order fill rate: 72% of orders are filled, up from 65% in FY14 Q2