Goal: to maintain the constant availability at all levels of adequate quantities of the required essential drugs through the institution and further development of a rational, harmonised, efficient and cost-effective system of procurement

Objectives:

1. To develop procurement capacity, skills and experience at all levels so that a system of drug procurement is established which is:

• appropriate
• timely
• efficient
• cost-effective
• harmonised
• transparent

in order to:

• optimise utilisation of available funding
• guarantee the constant availability of required essential drugs
• gain and maintain the trust of the public, donors and all other interested parties in the credibility and validity of the procurement system

2. To avoid wastage of resources through inefficient drug procurement practices (eg. procurement of low-quality or short shelf-life drugs, procurement delays leading to stock-outs, etc)

3. To ensure procurement of generic drugs in the public sector and encourage this in the private sector.

4. To maximise appropriate procurement of locally produced essential drugs.

Strategies:

1. Develop and implement appropriate procurement guidelines for all levels of the health system

2. Carry out a suitable and continuing programme of training at all levels in procurement procedures and establish a system for monitoring and support supervision

3. MoH to arrange in close collaboration with all key stakeholders to develop, introduce and implement strategies and procedures and guidelines to co-ordinate, harmonise, integrate and monitor public sector drug procurement in whatever form, including:

• routine procurement through the national drug procurement agency
• procurement by the districts
• procurement through development partner-funded programmes
• drug donations

Subsequently MoH to monitor all future public sector procurement activities to ensure strict adherence to the agreed guidelines.

4. Ensure that drug procurement for the public sector is based on the EDLU

5. Collaborate with relevant donor agencies to produce guidelines, and statutory instruments as required, for drug donations (based on the WHO model and appropriately adapted for national use) and institute an audit system to ensure adherence to these and to established procedures

6. Ensure that the national drug procurement agency maintains and further develops its capacity to carry out timely and efficient procurement for the public health system (including procurement of national strategic stocks, eg. vaccines and essential items of low commercial value)

7. Encourage the private sector to procure drugs so as to complement the public sector procurement system, eg. procurement of essential drugs by generic name

8. Encourage local pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce essential drugs at competitive prices and encourage procurement agencies to source available essential drugs locally in order to support the local industry

9. Establish a monitoring and evaluation system to ensure adherence to procurement guidelines and procedures and to measure progress towards achievement of procurement objectives