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Supply Chain “Early Warning System” for Family Planning, HIV and Malaria Commodities using Mobile Phone Technology Shows Promise www.ewsghana.com. Early Warning System (EWS). Development and implementation of the EWS in Ghana has been a collaborative process involving many partners, including:
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Supply Chain “Early Warning System” for Family Planning, HIV and Malaria Commodities using Mobile Phone Technology Shows Promise www.ewsghana.com
Early Warning System (EWS) • Development and implementation of the EWS in Ghana has been a collaborative process involving many partners, including: • Ghana Health Services • USAID Ghana Focus Region Health Project (FRHP) • USAID|DELIVER Project
Background • Non or incomplete stock status reporting from facilities for decision making at the higher levels • Irregular ordering (not based on max/min, re-order levels) • Resulting in stock out of commodities at all levels (Facility, RMS, CMS)
Rationale • Assist facilities to better identify and address failures in the supply chain system and manage products’ stocks better • Improve visibility of commodity stock data at facilities and higher levels for managers and other stakeholders so that they take timely remedial action • Assist the health services to ensure consistent availability of commodities at facilities
System Objectives • Provide near real-time stock status information for tracer commodities in FP, HIV, and Malaria commodities • Improve the timeliness and accuracy of paper-based reporting by the SDPs • Maintain appropriate stock levels and prevent stock outs • Inform and improve supervision of the supply chain system
Timeline • Sept 2010: Concept paper by USAID Focus Region Health Project • Jan-April 2011: Software development and Pre-test • April-May 2011: Training conducted • June-December 2011: Piloted in 6 districts in the focus regions and 113 facilities in the seven other regions • January 2012: Internal assessment • November2012: Expansion started
Implementation • System designed and set up • Service providers trained • Participating DHMTs, RHMTs, and Central level Managers oriented on using the EWS website • Stocks data reporting started June, 2011 and is ongoing • Monitoring and supportive visits conducted – Desktop and on-site visits
Logistics Management Information Flow SSDM P&S National Programmes CMS Regional Health Directorate RMS District Health Directorate Health Facilities Routine/paper flow of communication System messages EWS website access
How it Works • Facility worker enters stock counts and stock receipt into personal cell phones in the format: COMMODITY[STOCK ON HAND]. [STOCK RECEIVED] • Sends weekly by SMS to a toll-free short code (“7000” for MTN and “1902” for all other networks except Tigo & Glo) • Data analyzed by web database, feedback to facilities via SMS and to managers via SMS and web
Coverage • Reporting on a total 27 tracer commodities (for Malaria, FP, and HIV) • FRHP: 88 sites (health facilities and regional medical stores) in Central, Western, and Greater Accra regions • USAID | DELIVER PROJECT:113 ART sites in the 7 other regions of Ghana
EWS Assessment Results • Weekly reporting rates by facilities - 84% and 78% was timely • Over 90% of health facilities were using bin cards for FP commodities and almost 80% had them updated • EWS reports were consistent with 70% of bin card records available at facilities • Reduction in stock out rate: 32% to 24% • 44% of managers had registered and used the EWS website
Percentage of facilities with stock keeping records for FP commodities
Scale Up • Designing of the website improved to make it user friendly • Provide monthly reports directly to managers via email and SMS • Expanding geographical coverage in the focus regions to 12 more additional district and all ART sites in Ghana • Expanded the list of tracer commodities to 43
Conclusions • The EWS provides real time stock status for management use • The system has strengthened stock management (use of bin cards, other paper-based reporting) • Improvement in stock out rates at the facility level • Service providers make ‘extra’ efforts to keep stock due to visibility of stock reports
Please visit the Early Warning System website:`www.ewsghana.com