Management Sciences for Health to Improve the Health of Millions in Madagascar through Two New USAID-funded Programs

Interventions to focus on health systems strengthening, quality of care, healthy behaviors, and access to pharmaceuticals and health commodities

Arlington, VA—October 26, 2018—Management Sciences for Health (MSH) announced today that it has been awarded USAID funding to support Madagascar’s journey toward a stronger health system. The two new five-year awards will focus on access to quality health services and pharmaceuticals and health commodities for all Malagasy people.

“Our support of the national government and our partnerships in local communities have made a positive difference in the lives of countless people, and we are so thrilled to continue building a strong health and pharmaceutical system so that everyone can have access to the health services and medicines they need,” said Marian W. Wentworth, MSH’s President and CEO. “We are grateful to USAID for funding this important work and giving us this opportunity to build on our past success.”

USAID Madagascar’s Accessible Continuum of Care and Essential Services Sustained (ACCESS) Activity is a cooperative agreement that aims to accelerate sustainable health impacts for the Malagasy people by focusing on three main objectives: Quality health services are sustainably available and accessible to all Malagasy communities in the regions where the program works; health systems function effectively to support quality service delivery; and Malagasy people sustainably adopt healthy behaviors and social norms.

ACCESS will be implemented with a number of partner organizations, including ACOG Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Nurse-Midwives, Action Socio-Sanitaire Organisation Secours, Catholic Relief Services, Dimagi, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, and Stony Brook University Global Health Institute.

USAID Madagascar also announced its award of Improving Market Partnerships and Access to Commodities Together (IMPACT) to a team led by Population Services International (PSI) with MSH as a partner. IMPACT is a five-year cooperative agreement that aims to improve the capacity of the Malagasy health system to ensure that quality pharmaceuticals and health commodities are accessible to all Malagasy people.

Through IMPACT, MSH will help build the capacity of the public sector to manage an integrated supply chain, including quantification, supply, information systems, and distribution. MSH will also lead activities to increase the financial sustainability of the public supply chain, including conducting a total cost analysis and reviewing cost recovery. Contributing to increased engagement of the commercial sector, MSH will also support private-sector activities by advocating for policies to facilitate public-private partnerships, strengthening the regulatory framework and registration systems, and piloting an accredited drug seller initiative.