Improving Timeliness in the Neglected Tropical Diseases Preventive Chemotherapy Donation Supply Chain Through Information Sharing: A Restrospective Empirical Analysis

Abstract

Background: Billions of doses of medicines are donated for mass drug administrations in support of the World Health Organization’s “Roadmap to Implementation,” which aims to control, eliminate, and eradicate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The supply chain to deliver these medicines is complex, with fragmented data systems and limited visibility on performance. This study empirically evaluates the impact of an online supply chain performance measurement system, “NTDeliver,” providing understanding of the value of information sharing towards the success of global health programs. Methods: Retrospective secondary data was extracted from NTDeliver, which included 1,484 shipments for four critical medicines ordered by over 100 countries between February 28, 2006 and December 31, 2018. We applied statistical regression models to analyze the impact on key performance metrics, comparing data before and after the system was implemented. Findings: The results suggest information sharing has a positive impact on three performance indicators: purchase order timeliness (β=1∙01, p<0∙000), arrival timeliness (β=0∙53, p=0∙09), and—most importantly—delivery timeliness (β=0∙73, p=0·03). Three variables indicated an increased positive impact when the data is publicly shared: shipment timeliness (β=2∙57, p=0∙001), arrival timeliness (β=2∙88, p=0∙003), and delivery timeliness (β=2∙82, p=0∙01). Interpretation: Our findings suggest that information sharing between the NTD program partners can help drive improved performance in the supply chain, and even more so when data is shared publicly. Given the large volume of medicine and the significant number of people requiring these medicines, information sharing has the potential to provide improvements to global health programs affecting the health of tens to hundreds of millions of people. Funding Information: None. Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests.