1. 2nd
Tanzania Health Summit
11th
– 13th
November, 2015
Dar es salaam, Tanzania.
Category; Health policy and health system operations
Author: Emilian Ng’wandu1
Co-authors: Dr. Amos Nsheha2
, Dafrosa Chale Shiluka3
, Dr. Gastor Njau4
, Edgar Basheka5
and
Swald Amir6
Abstract
Title: The impact of supply chain interventions in improving uptake of Family Planning services
at Care and Treatment (CTC) and Voluntary and Counselling Testing (VCT) sites in Shinyanga
and Simiyu Regions: Results after 18 months of intervention.
Background:
Shinyanga and Simiyu Region are allocated in Lake Zone of Tanzania. The regions are among
the identified area with low Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) 12.5% (TDHS, 2010), low
CPR is being contributed by various factors including family planning commodity management.
Ariel Glaser Pediatric AIDS Health Care Initiatives (AGPAHI) through the generous support
from United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) introduced and implementing integration of
Family Planning services into Care and Treatment and Voluntary Counseling and Testing
services in 7 councils of Shinyanga Region (Msalala, Ushetu, Kahama Town Council and
Shinyanga Municipal Council) and Simiyu Region (Bariadi Town Council, Bariadi and Itilima
District Councils) with the aim of increasing access of family planning services through
integration approach to HIV services.
Methods:
AGPAHI together with MoHSW/FP program, John Snow Inc (JSI) and Medical Stores
Department (MSD), Regional/Council Health Management Team (R/CHMT) worked to analyze
the strengths and weaknesses of logistics and supply chain system in the two regions.
To achieve the desired results the following were done; Identification and selection of supply
chain technical team from all levels of the logistics system and program; representatives from
MoHSW, JSI, AGPAHI, Zonal Reproductive and Child Health office, RHMT and CHMT,
Quarterly supportive supervision and mentorship to health facilities using the national
supportive supervision tool.
The selected team developed the package for orientation workshop on FP commodities - supply
chain management for Regional/Council Health Management Teams and Health Care workers.
Results:
Baseline data obtained using tool reveals that, poor supply chain performances such as frequent
stock out of FP commodities was contributed by shortage of pharmaceutical personnel (12.5%),
poor pharmacy stores infrastructures, poor utilization of the LMIS tools, inadequate availability
of reference materials and guidelines, poor ordering system (87.5%), poor MSD order fulfillment
rate and inadequate FP commodities – stock monitoring.

2. After 18 month of program implementation it was observed improvement in ordering mechanism
for FP commodities 100% (41) of facilities are ordering FP commodities at MSD compared to
12.5% facilities on baseline, Improved availability (Stock monitoring) from 70% to 90%,
availability and utilization of Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) tools.
Generally there was increased in uptake of family planning to new PLHIV from 16% in 2012 to
74% in June 2015.
Conclusion:
Capacity building on supply chain management, regular supportive supervision and mentorship,
strategic supply chain feedback meetings and monitoring of supply chain system performances
have a great role in improving uptake of FP services at facility level.
Recommendation:
FP services uptake at the facilities is ongoing and correlates with stable supply chain system and
involvement of local government authorities, CHMTs, RHMTs, MoHSW, MSD and
Implementing Partners in providing sustainable interventions in reverting the supply chain gaps
and challenges.
1
Program Coordinator, Pharmaceutical Management and Supply Chains, AGPAHI
2
Technical Director, AGPAHI
3
Regional Program Coordinator - Simiyu, AGPAHI
4
Regional Program Manager, AGPAHI
5
Supply Chain and Public Health Specialist, Logistics Management Unit at MoHSW
6
Supply Chain Monitoring Advisor, John Snow Inc (JSI)