Management Sciences for Health/ Health Commodities and Services Management Program, Kenya, Progress Report: [January 1, 2012 – March 31, 2012]

Agency for International Development (USAID) program designed to address commodity management, pharmaceutical services, and policy, and laboratory systems over a period of 5 years from 1st April 2011 until 31st March 2016. The program's goal is to improve health outcomes and impact through sustainable country-led programs and partnerships. In line with the USAID/Kenya mission's implementation framework and the Ministries of Health national health strategic plans, MSH/HCSM focuses on health systems strengthening in the pharmaceutical and laboratory sectors in three key technical areas: Ministry of Medical Services (MOMS)/Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation (MOPHS) and Health Facilities Commodity Management Support, Support to Pharmaceutical Policy and Service Delivery, and Support to Laboratory Governance, Commodity Security, and Service Delivery. The program adopts a two-pronged approach, working closely with the two Ministries of Health at the central level to craft policies, interventions, and tools that contribute to ensuring commodity security and delivery of pharmaceutical and laboratory services at the peripheral level. At the peripheral level, MSH/HCSM provides technical leadership to health teams comprised of district-level, partner, and independent health workers to implement interventions at health facilities. During the reporting period January – March 2012, several achievements were made with HCSM support across the three technical areas. In the area of health commodity management support, MSH/HCSM participated in MoH program commodity security meetings, supported DRH and DLTLD to undertake national forecasting and quantification activities, and continued to support the development of National monthly stock status reports for priority health commodities. At the peripheral level, MSH/HCSM supported provincial and district health managers to implement commodity management interventions, facilitated the operationalization of commodity management committees at both provincial and district levels, and provided technical assistance to seven provincial committees to hold their quarterly meetings. Thirty-nine district teams were supported to jump-start their district-level commodity management committees, and the teams developed action plans and made key decisions to address their most pressing issues. In the area of support to pharmaceutical policy and service delivery, MSH/HCSM worked closely with the two Ministries of Health to develop and implement policies and interventions that contribute to ensuring pharmaceutical services and policy. The program also supported the development of the Kenya National Pharmaceutical Policy and the implementation of the policy at the provincial and district levels. In the area of support to laboratory governance, commodity security, and service delivery, MSH/HCSM worked closely with the two Ministries of Health and the CDC-funded laboratory support program to develop and implement policies and interventions that contribute to ensuring laboratory governance, commodity security, and service delivery. The program also supported the development of the National Public Health Laboratory Services (NPHLS) and the implementation of the NPHLS at the provincial and district levels. Overall, the HCSM program has made significant progress in improving health outcomes and impact through sustainable country-led programs and partnerships. The program's achievements in the areas of health commodity management support, support to pharmaceutical policy and service delivery, and support to laboratory governance, commodity security, and service delivery demonstrate the program's commitment to health systems strengthening in the pharmaceutical and laboratory sectors.