30 June 2023
Regional workshop on pharmaceutical supply chain security
Action plan
30 June 2023
Work package No. 6: Pharmaceutical supply chain security
As part of MEDISAFE, a regional workshop on the National Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Security Guide was held in Mombasa, Kenya, from 28-30 June 2023. The workshop brought together national representatives from organizations in charge of supply chain security in the project partner countries, to work collaboratively on the different workstreams and measures set out in the guide.
The supply chain security assessment and implementation guide is one of the tools developed by MEDISAFE to support countries in the fight against substandard and falsified medical products (SFMP). The guide sets out the different activities needed to strengthen supply chain security, from the arrival of products in the country, to delivery to health facilities or private pharmacies/points of sale, including procurement from local manufacturers. The guide therefore aims to prevent SFMP being present in formal supply chains, as well as helping stakeholders in the national supply chain to detect SFMP.
Over three days, representatives from partner countries (national regulatory authorities, national supply chain managers, national customs authorities and MEDISAFE national pharmaceutical experts) were trained on how to use the guide. In order to capitalize on knowledge acquired, participants worked on case studies relating to market control and surveillance, import control, and investigations when there are suspected SFMP.
The workshop closed with a discussion and experience sharing session within the national teams. Using content from the guide, teams were able to identify potential measures to improve the security of their country’s supply chain. The results of this could contribute in particular to informing activities for inclusion in a potential phase 2 of the MEDISAFE project.
Use of the guide during the meeting has demonstrated its value in terms of moving forward national agendas in the fight against SFMP. In light of the major and complex challenges around pharmaceutical supply chain security, the guide will provide regional and national authorities with essential and practical guidance for effective control.
The guide is aimed at all public and private actors involved in the supply chain for medicines and other medical products. It sets out the various activities needed to strengthen national supply chain security. It was developed under the MEDISAFE project based on international guidelines, experiences shared by representatives from project partner countries, and experiences of international experts from organizations that are part of the MEDISAFE consortium (APROPHISP and CHMP). The recommendations suggest a risk management approach that takes into account the different capacities and resources of countries.
