In the first of its kind in the region, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, Dominica, in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is embarking on a five-day mission to instill among health workers the critical role that they play in achieving universal health coverage and universal access to health, and to ensure access to pharmaceutical products and services by having a robust pharmaceutical supply chain system.
Access to medicines is a core element of any pharmaceutical policy and one of the main priorities of public health policy. Access to essential medicines and other health technologies, including vaccines and biological, is ensured through the development of an organized system that integrates the selection, financing, forecasting/demand estimation, procurement, storage and distribution, and rational use of pharmaceuticals in accordance with the needs of the population.
The mission will be guided by Pablo Alcocer Vera, Regional Advisor, Systems of Supply, PAHO/WHO; Dr Vishwanath Andy Partapsingh, Advisor, Health Systems and Services, PAHO/WHO Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries; Gabriel Cunha, International Consultant, Supply Chain Management Regional Revolving Funds (RRF); Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, Hon. Kent Edwards, a trained pharmacist with over 26 years of experience; PAHO Country Program Specialist, Dr. Nicole Slack-Liburd; and Supplies Manager, Ms. Aliyah James-Shillingford as well as other senior staff of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services.
During the opening ceremony for the mission, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, Hon Dr Cassandra Williams, reinforced the commitment of the Government of Dominica in ensuring accessibility of pharmaceuticals for all Dominicans.
“In an effort to ensure the optimal health and wellness of the population of Dominica, this government is committed to ensuring that there is a robust Supply Chain Management System that guarantees adequate procurement, distribution, and financing of pharmaceuticals are maintained,” she indicated.
Dr Williams noted that the Government has allocated $81.9 million-dollar recurrent expenditure and 7.5 million capital budget for health in 2024-2025 and cited the development of a better system to manage the procurement and distribution of medical supplies as one strategy to improve patient outcomes.
“As we work to further strengthen our commitment of Partnering to build the platform for sustainable growth and development, which was the theme of this year’s budget presentation, we are pleased to continue our longstanding partnership with PAHO in this week’s initiative, which has been preceded by several fact finding and planning sessions commencing in February 2024. This week’s agenda includes the implementation of self-assessment tools, focus groups and site visits to hospitals and health centres, which will examine several aspects of SCM such as financing, procurement, information systems and legislative frameworks.”
Universal access to essential medicines has increasingly been seen as a fundamental human right over the years. Therefore, strengthening the management of the pharmaceutical supply chain system in the country to ensure access to safe, quality and essential medicines and other health technologies is aligned with the right to health concept.
During the mission, there will be meetings with health policy and health financing stakeholders; discussions will be held with procurement personnel, Information Technology Department responsible of the Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) and other health technologies, and other staff of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services and Dominica Hospitals Authority.
Site visits will be conducted at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital to include Central Medical Stores, National Laboratory, Pharmacy, as well as Marigot Hospital, district health centers, and the Roseau Seaport, among others.
At the end of the mission, the PAHO delegates will provide an overview of an efficient and integrated supply chain management (SCM) system of medicines and other health technologies elements from the governance, regulatory framework, financial aspects, quality assurance, selection of essential medicines list, the demand estimation, the procurement, the inventory management, the distribution and the rational use; identify technical cooperation areas to strengthen supply chain management (SCM) system in front of WHO GSDP/MQAS standards; and present the PAHO Revolving Funds as a technical cooperation mechanism for pooled procurement.
