The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday held a meeting with its development partners and other stakeholders to solicit their inputs in a draft master strategy on the Sector’s Commodity Supply Chain System in Accra.

The draft, which entails major policy changes, would need the approval of Parliament to be implemented. It, therefore, have to be strategically formulated to take care of the interest of all stakeholders and ensure commodity security for the health sector.

Mr Samuel Boateng, Chairman of Technical Working Group (TWG) established by MOH, stated that the strategy had recommended the establishment of a Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) as a new agency of the Ministry.

He explained that SCMU would bring together various important supply chain functions and provide a direct supervisory and organisational relationship between the central and mid-level of the supply chain.

Mr Boateng said it would strengthen information systems and build data visibility, while emphasizing on accountability, efficiency and cost effectiveness to increase the value of the supply chain for end users.

The draft called for the need to address issues of human resource in the supply chain for all interventions and in the area of financing, develop plans for rationalising pricing, re-reimbursement and mark-up policies, relating these policies more directly to the cost of services provided.

Dr Sylvester Anemana, Chief Director, MOH, indicated that Ghana needed to put in place a formidable supply chain system that was not only realistic, but acceptable to all stakeholders.

The Ministry, he explained, based upon some previous assessments of the Ghana health sector’s supply chain, was tasked after the November 2011 Health Summit to identify underlying problems and constraints of commodity supply chain and explore options for improving system functioning, both short and in the long term.

Dr Anemana said this was to ensure that quality health commodities were available, accessible and affordable to all and supported by a sustainable, reliable, responsive, efficient and well-coordinated supply chain.

He said based on these commissioning, the Ministry set up a Technical Working Group (TWG), to further assess the Sector’s Commodity Supply Chain System and made it more secure for quality health care delivery.

Dr Anemana noted that TWG was established despite its significant strengths, major obstacles to availability, affordability and accessibility continued to impede the operation of the current supply chain system.

He pointed out some challenges such as lack of data visibility, pricing, quality, trust and coordination, as well as role duplication and gaps among the various supply agencies, adding “The absence of quality information flow and organisational boundaries remains a major challenge”.

Dr Anemana expressed worry about the wide array of health commodity entry mechanisms as a result of the ECOWAS Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which presented significant challenge to commodity quality assurance.

He cited the non-adherence to the Essential Medicines List and Guidelines in both procurement and prescribing practices, lack of effective implementation of existing policies, as well as inadequacies in drug regulatory capacity and limited self-regulatory capacity of the private sector, as challenges to the Sector’s legal and regulatory environment.

The Chief Director stressed that the master strategy on the Sector’s Commodity Supply Chain System would therefore address the various gaps and ensure commodity security for the health sector.

Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, Minister of Health, commended TWG for the good work done, but cautioned them to be conscious not to create another bureaucratic structure.

He pledged government’s support to ensuring commodity security for Ghana’s health sector.