Abstract

With up to a third of the world’s population with limited access to essential medicines, it is clear that by 2015 many countries will not be able to achieve their health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) [1]. Of the eight MDGs, four explicitly discusses the availability of medicines at the primary care or service delivery point level [2]. It is pertinent because without access to and appropriate use of quality medicines, health systems would lose their ability to meet healthcare needs. Though affordability of medicines and high prices are frequently highlighted as challenges to access to essential medicines, the weakness of health supply chains has remained a consistent barrier across a range of low and middle -income countries [3-5]. Despite major investment over the past decades, national supply chains are often unable to respond effectively to existing demands, putting health outcomes at risk. Since the first Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in Kampala in 2008 [6], the human resource focus has been on the doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers. However, there is little focus on human resources to improve and sustain health supply chains. A focus on the human resources is needed and in this context, in 2011, the People that Deliver (PtD) Initiative was founded. The International Pharmacy Federation (FIP) provided further evidence of the need for a HR focus in SCM through their Global Workforce Report in 2012 [7]. In that report they make a link between a lack of pharmacy personnel and inequalities in access to medicines. For example in Sub-Saharan Africa, on average less than one pharmacist was observed for 10,000 population [8]. In October 2014 the 2 Global Conference on Human Resources for Supply Chain Management (SCM) was held to demonstrate the achievement PtD has made in the recent years [www.peoplethatdeliver.org]. Launched in 2011, the PtD Initiative is a global partnership of over 80 organizations who have the joint vision of a world where an agenda for national health supply chain workforce is developed. (www.peoplethatdeliver.org). Specifically the goals of PtD are:

Highlights

  • With up to a third of the world’s population with limited access to essential medicines, it is clear that by 2015 many countries will not be able to achieve their health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) [1]

  • Though affordability of medicines and high prices are frequently highlighted as challenges to access to essential medicines, the weakness of health supply chains has remained a consistent barrier across a range of low and middle -income countries [3-5]

  • Since the first Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in Kampala in 2008 [6], the human resource focus has been on the doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers

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Summary

Introduction

With up to a third of the world’s population with limited access to essential medicines, it is clear that by 2015 many countries will not be able to achieve their health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) [1]. There is little focus on human resources to improve and sustain health supply chains. A focus on the human resources is needed and in this context, in 2011, the People that Deliver (PtD) Initiative was founded. The International Pharmacy Federation (FIP) provided further evidence of the need for a HR focus in SCM through their Global Workforce Report in 2012 [7].

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