Nimble Mechanism to Increase Supply Chain Support to NTD Programs

The Supply Chain Technical Support Mechanism (SCTSM) for NTD Programs is a five-year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, implemented by JSI and inSupply Health to support Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) supply chains in eight countries. Donated medicines are a pillar in the fight against NTDs; in recent years, the donation program has faced several challenges related to weaknesses in the drug donation ordering process and supply chain management. SCTSM addresses these challenges by supporting the NTD roadmap, aligning with best practices for supply and demand management, and ensuring timely availability and reducing wastage of medicines for NTD interventions. SCTSM collaborates with a wide range of partners, including WHO Geneva, ESPEN (WHO-AFRO), USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, country NTD programs, and pharmaceutical partners.

SCTSM engages with NTD programs and partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. By the end of the project, JSI expects that country NTD programs will be able to forecast, supply plan, deliver, and account for NTD medicines and that globally, there will be optimized allocation and delivery of medicines for mass drug administration and improved accountability for donated medicines.