Advancing the Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme
Background and Rationale
Medicines donated mainly by pharmaceutical companies through WHO are a pillar in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Eleven pharmaceutical companies have been donating medicines over several decades, covering a significant proportion of the cost of interventions against NTDs. WHO handles about 80 percent of the globally donated medicines for NTDs. Strong health commodity supply chains are a cornerstone of NTD programmes, protecting investments in life-saving medicines and ensuring they reach targeted populations. However, numerous challenges within the first and last miles of the NTD supply chain have been identified, leading to delays, stockouts, and inefficiencies in implementation of mass drug administration activities
Key challenges at country levels include but are not limited to: i) delayed and incomplete submissions of drug requests (as part of the Joint Application Package); ii) weak systems and processes for NTD stock management and reverse logistics; iii) the rarity of NTD program inclusion in the national logistics management information systems (eLMIS); iv) not receiving medicines on time or in quantities requested; and v) delayed customs clearances. At the global level, challenges include but are not limited to: i) inaccurate short-term forecasts and lack of long-term forecasts; lack of end-to-end visibility of inventories; ii) lack of information on funding availability for mass drug administration (MDA) to ensure that donated medicines are distributed to targeted populations; and iii) unrealistic timelines from order date to country-level MDA implementation dates.
The Supply Chain Technical Support Mechanism to NTD Programs (SCTSM) project is a five-year initiative (November 2023 to October 2028) aimed at enhancing coordination and collaboration among manufacturers, the World Health Organization (WHO), funding and technical partners, and countries, with the aim of improving the NTD supply chain in Africa. By aligning with industry best practices for supply and demand management, this mechanism aims to address end to end supply chain challenges and ensure the timely availability of medicines and reduction of wastage in NTD programs.
Purpose of the Meeting
The 2025 SCTSM Annual Meeting aims to provide updates to the technical advisory group for the mechanism and seek input into the project’s progress so far and priorities for 2026. The meeting also aims to provide an in-depth discussion on the application for donated medicines and demand forecasts from the 8 countries for the next three years. The project will gather feedback from key stakeholders to correct or discuss the key assumptions used to estimate needs and prepare applications for medicines to improve accuracy of country forecasts.
Meeting Objectives
The objectives of the meeting are to:
- Update on project progress in year 2 (2025)
- Gather inputs on priorities for year 3 (2026)
- Discuss experience in efforts to improve JRSM processes in the eight countries
- Review progress in developing a three year country forecasting tool
- Review 3-year country forecasts for WHO managed PC-NTD medicines for project countries
Meeting Outputs/Deliverables
- Feedback and input into project progress and plans for the next year of the project
- Feedback on country roadmaps for the 8 project countries
- Agree on a methodology and next steps to finalize country forecasts
Meeting Format
The meeting will be a hybrid event, combining in-person sessions at the WHO Headquarters with virtual participation to ensure broad engagement from stakeholders unable to travel to Geneva. The event will include a mix of presentations, panel discussions, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities.