Held the 16th to 19th of March, 2021, the National Pharmacists Forum provided an overview of antiretroviral therapy and was an opportunity to learn how to utilize data from the logistics management information system, pharmaceutical management information system and other systems to ensure continuous availability of pharmaceuticals and related supplies.
To nurture a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in the delivery of pharmaceuticals services, for the first time this year’s forum recognized the three best performing health facilities and regions. The awards are based on the weighted scores obtained in supervisory support visits (SSVs), reporting, and functionality of their multidisciplinary therapeutic committees that identify and mitigate medicine use issues.
Congratulations these health facilities!
The Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services, supported by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project, conducts annual supportive supervision visits to hospitals and selected health centers and clinics around the country.
During these visits, ministry and project staff use a scored checklist tool to assess the performance of key pharmacy functions, including human resources, storage, inventory management, cold chain management, and patient and antiretroviral (ARV) stock management using the Electronic Dispensing Tool (EDT). This process identifies both high-performing health facilities and under-performing ones to provide additional support.
Through supportive supervision visits, regional and facility pharmacists also learn how to submit accurate, timely and complete reports to inform decision-making for patient management.
And congratulations to these regional winners!
The Ministry of Health’s Executive Director Mr. Ben Nangombe officially opened the 2021 forum and presented the awards saying, “This is a great time to reflect on the important role you play within the Namibian healthcare system. Pharmacists ensure supply chain management efficiencies. They ensure optimum stock levels for essential medicines and ensure that these medicines are used appropriately.”
The Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services, supported by GHSC-PSM, seeks to develop the capacity of Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) managers, chief medical officers, senior medical officers and regional pharmacists on using electronic pharmacy management tools and systems in determining pharmaceutical needs and budgeting.
GHSC-PSM is mandated to ensure uninterrupted supplies of lifesaving ARVs and other medicines in Namibia through the use of supply chain information. The project supports various patient and stock management tools used for supply chain decision-making, including the Electronic Dispensing Tool for ARV patient and inventory management, the Facility Electronic Stock Card (FESC) for inventory management, and the Pharmaceutical Information Dashboard for stock visibility, reporting and decision-making.
For more information, please go to:
Credits:
GHSC-PSM/Chris Norman