The Ministry of Health (MoH) worked with its development partners, including ARC, Africa’s Public Health Supply Chain Institution, to create an informed push model to facilitate the effective delivery of medicines to the last mile to increase availability of medicines.
Date:
January 5, 2023
Author(s):
Africa Resource Centre
Background
In 2016, the Ministry of Health (MoH) worked with its development partners, including ARC, Africa’s Public Health Supply Chain Institution, to create an informed push model to facilitate the effective delivery of medicines to the last mile. This model, called Yeksi naa, was part of the MoH’s efforts to increase the availability of medicines in Senegal. Yeksi naa relied on third-party logistics providers to manage inventory and delivery of health products at the last mile. During its initial phase, the project was hugely successful and contributed significantly to reducing stock-outs and improving the availability of medicines.
However, some limitations were experienced during the scaling phase. The programme was paused to assess and address these challenges before applying the approach more extensively.
ARC’s role
Following a request from the MoH, between 2019 and 2020, ARC led a team of expert consultants to evaluate Yeksi naa’s operating model.
This evaluation revealed challenges throughout the health supply chain. These included limits in the governance model, lack of reliable information for evidence-based decision making, inadequate planning processes, and costly distribution.
Following the evaluation, the MoH appointed ARC and its partners to conduct a further in-depth analytical study on the public health supply chain operating model. This Yeksi naa complementary study was launched in 2021. ARC consultants conducted the study under the supervision of the IAAF and in close collaboration with multi-departmental technical and steering committees from the MoH.
The study showed that outsourcing storage and distribution to the private sector is highly recommended.
In 2022, ARC committed to supporting setting up a committee for Yeksi naa’s relaunch. ARC is also facilitating workshops to prepare for the relaunch.
ARC has also been working with the MoH on transforming the public health supply chain. In line with this, we submitted a governance structure for the supply chain to the MoH for implementation. This will institutionalise the planning function. The concept note for the planning function has been revised to integrate the design, evolution and costing for the implementation.
Outcomes and impact
ARC’s support to ministries of health focuses on strengthening six supply chain elements. Its work in Senegal strengthened four of these six areas: strategy, budgets and investment cases, policies and research, and solutions proposals.
Developing a public health supply chain strategy
Key element: strategy
ARC is working with the MoH to develop a national public health supply chain strategy for 2023–2027.
IMPACT: Ongoing engagement with and advocacy to MoH and partners for planning the development of the strategy.
Mobilising donor resources
Key element: budgets and investment cases
ARC engaged donors for funding for the supply chain planning function within the MoH as part of the costing element for the role.
IMPACT: Collaboration with key donors to support the MoH in setting up internal supply chain planning functions for the long-term transformation of the public health supply chain.
Optimising distribution networks
Key elements: policies and research and solutions proposals
ARC worked with the MoH to identify and develop distribution network solutions. These included exploring differentiated channel delivery options.
IMPACT: A distribution network scenario has been identified for integration into the public health supply chain strategy.
