Year-End Progress Report on the Use of SCMP

The program focuses on improving access to essential medical products and related services, as well as the appropriate use of medicines to ensure better health outcomes for all populations. The MTaPS approach builds sustainable gains in countries by including all actors in healthcare, such as government, civil society, the private sector, and academia. The program is implemented by a consortium of global and local partners, led by Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a global health nonprofit. The MTaPS program is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and has a presence in over 40 countries. In Bangladesh, the program is working with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) to strengthen the country's pharmaceutical system. Supply chain management is a critical component of the MTaPS program, and the MOHFW has developed a Supply Chain Management Portal (SCMP) to facilitate procurement and logistics management. The SCMP is a web-based portal that contains several modules related to procurement and supply management, including procurement planning and tracking. The portal is accessible to the MOHFW, procuring entities, line directors, drug administration, hospitals, and stakeholders. The Procurement Planner module allows line directors to submit procurement requirements online, selecting items from an approved product catalog and indicating required quantities and expected delivery dates. A consolidated procurement plan is generated automatically, and desk officers review submissions and develop packages based on approved procurement plans. The Procurement Tracker module ensures that procurement packages are tracked through an interactive dashboard, providing immediate access to updated package status and facilitating efficient and effective procurement management. The MTaPS program has been working with the MOHFW to promote the use of the SCMP, and a workshop was held on September 21, 2020, to submit procurement plans for the Health Services Division (HSD) of the MOHFW for the financial year 2020-2021. The workshop was attended by 74 participants, including doctors, additional secretaries, joint secretaries, and deputy secretaries from the MOHFW, as well as MTaPS activity managers and team leads. The workshop aimed to introduce the SCMP's procurement modules and features, as well as to promote the use of the portal for sharing procurement information. The MTaPS team lead presented a technical presentation on the SCMP's procurement modules and features, and the chair welcomed participants and requested the chief guest to issue an official notification to all concerned to use the portal for sharing procurement information. The MTaPS program has been working to strengthen the pharmaceutical system in Bangladesh, and the development of the SCMP is a critical component of this effort. The program's focus on supply chain management and procurement planning is aimed at improving access to essential medical products and related services, as well as promoting good governance, transparency, and competition in the bidding process.