Overview

The MSH-led, USAID-funded program, Securing Ugandans’ Right to Essential Medicines (Uganda SURE) project worked with the Government of Uganda to strengthen the national pharmaceutical supply system to improve access to adequate quantities of good quality essential medicines and health supplies.

To achieve this goal, SURE’s objectives were to:

• Improve Uganda’s policy, legal, and regulatory framework to produce pharmaceutical supply chain stability and sustainability
• Improve capacity and performance of central government entities to carry out their supply chain management responsibilities
• Improve capacity and performance of districts, health subdistricts, and implementing partners in their supply chain management roles

SURE worked on integrating Uganda’s supply chain and establishing a pharmaceutical management information system that provides full transparency to minimize medicine stock-outs and waste.

At the national and local levels, SURE focused its capacity-building efforts on quantification and procurement, warehousing, distribution, financial management, and using management information systems.

SURE’s signature initiative—SPARS (supervision, performance assessment, and recognition strategy)—is a performance-based incentive program that reinforces capacity-building efforts and encourages not only individuals, but also health care facilities to improve pharmaceutical and financial management practices at all levels. SPARS has since been rolled out nationwide.