Digital Health Supply Chain: Where does traceability fit in?
The 3rd Francophone Africa GS1 Healthcare Summit was held virtually from 20-22 August 2024. The Summit provided the opportunity to continue to increase Francophone countries in West and Central Africa's awareness of digital health supply chain initiatives. Through a 3-day Virtual Summit, we invited government counterparts to discuss how traceability fits within the digital health supply chain and learned from each other as they discovered how to design their strategy. Through these meetings, healthcare leaders were encouraged to share and discuss progress made toward a digital health supply chain for the betterment of patient safety, supply chain security, and efficiency
Proposed objectives
Illustrate traceability as part of the larger digital health supply chain ecosystem.
Review updates from African countries in integrating traceability in the broader digital health ecosystem using global standards.
Understand updated resources available to develop effective strategies that support collective work at national, regional, and global levels to establish traceability.
Agenda
Day 1 – 20 August 2024
Theme: Illustrate traceability as part of the larger digital health supply chain ecosystem.
Objective: Setting the stage for this year’s Summit and revisiting where we ended last year.
Welcome note
Time: 12:00 – 12:15 GMT / 8:00 – 8:15 EST
- Representative for USAID – John Bernon
- Representative for GS1 Global Office – Renaud de Barbuat
- Representative for WHO – Carl Leitner
- Representative for GHSC-TA Francophone TO – Josh Kunin-Goldsmith
Location: Virtual
Participant Introductions
Time: 12:15 – 12:30 GMT / 8:15 – 8:30 EST
- Participant introductions / Informal Icebreaker / Virtual Group Photo
Location: Virtual
Session 1: Introducing perspectives on traceability in the digital health supply chain ecosystem: A conversation with USAID, GS1, WHO, and WAHO
Time: 12:30 – 13:35 GMT / 8:30 – 9:35 EST
Speakers: Josh Kunin-Goldsmith (GHSC-TA Francophone TO), Géraldine Lissalde-Bonnet (GS1 Global Office), Carl Leitner (WHO), Simplice Kamdem (USAID)
Moderator: Ramy Guirguis (USAID)
Objective: This session consists of a short presentation on where we ended last year and a panel discussion moderated by USAID on perspectives of traceability within the digital health supply chain ecosystem.
Structure: 10 min presentation, 40min panel discussion, 15min Q&A
Location: Virtual
Break
Time: 13:35 – 13:45 GMT / 9:35 – 9:45 EST
Location: Virtual
Session 2: Understanding how industry in Africa are taking action to move towards traceability: Voices from industry representatives in Africa
Time: 13:45 – 14:50 GMT / 9:45 – 10:50 EST
Speakers: Mr Wendkuni Ibrahim Kabore (Propharm Burkina Faso), Merryl Riley (National Bioproduct Institute South Africa), John Mwangi (Bayer Kenya)
Moderator: Dah El Hadj Sidi (GHSC-TA Francophone TO)
Objective: This session consists of a panel discussion moderated by the GHSC-TA Francophone TO project on how industry affiliates in Africa are collaborating with global actors to lay the foundation for traceability in their countries and how they are connecting with governments to prepare for implementation of a traceability strategy.
Structure: 45 min panel discussion, 20 min Q&A
Location: Virtual
Closing Remarks
Time: 13:45 – 14:50 GMT / 9:45 – 10:50 EST
Location: Virtual
Day 2 – 21 August 2024
Theme: Review updates from African countries in integrating traceability in the broader digital health ecosystem using global standards.
Objective: Focus on country progress toward traceability.
Introduction to the Day/Summary of day before
Time: 12:00 – 12:10 GMT / 8:00 – 8:10 EST
Location: Virtual
Session 1: Country progress integrating traceability in the broader digital health supply chain ecosystem - Part 1: Building a foundation for an in-country pharmaceutical traceability system (Newcomers)
Time: 12:10 – 13:30 / GMT 8:10 – 9:30 EST
Speakers: Dr. Dalkoi Lamboni (Togo MOH), Dr. Maximilien Kpodjedo (Benin MOH), Dr. Jocelyn Azeez (Ghana MOH), Mr. Israël Nimubona (Burundi ABREMA)
Moderator: Angela Elong (FTO)
Objective: This session provides a progress update on foundational efforts made by countries that are starting to integrate traceability into their digital health supply chain ecosystem.
Structure: 10 min presentation (each), 30 min panel discussion, 20 min Q&A
Location: Virtual
Break
Time: 13:30 – 13:40 GMT / 9:30 – 9:40 EST
Location: Virtual
Session 2: Country progress integrating traceability in the broader digital health supply chain ecosystem - Part 2: Building a foundation for an in-country pharmaceutical traceability system (Early adopters)
Time: 13:40 – 14:50 GMT / 9:40 – 10:50 EST
Speakers: Dr. Mwesigwa Denis William (Uganda NDA), Petros Lukonde (Zambia MOH), Martine Umuhoza (Rwanda FDA) - invited, John Kayode (Nigeria MOH) - invited
Moderator: Nuran Idris (GS1 Global Office)
Objective: This session provides a progress update on foundational efforts made by early-adopter countries to integrate traceability into their digital health supply chain ecosystem.
Structure: 10 min presentation (each), 30 min panel discussion, 20 min Q&A
Location: Virtual
Closing Remarks
Time: 14:50 – 15:00 GMT / 10:50 – 11:00 EST
Location: Virtual
Day 3 – 22 August 2024
Theme: Understand updated resources available to develop effective strategies that support collective work at national, regional, and global levels to establish traceability.
Objective: Focus on the way ahead and how to move toward traceability. The content will touch on main use cases of traceability including divergence, counterfeiting, supply chain efficiency gained with barcoding.
Introduction to the Day/Summary of day before
Time: 12:00 – 12:10 GMT / 8:00 – 8:10 EST
Location: Virtual
Session 1: A deep dive into updates on global initiatives and resources available to develop effective traceability strategies
Time: 12:10 – 13:30 GMT / 8:10 – 9:30 EST
Speakers: Grant Courtney (UNICEF), Max Kabalisa (UNICEF), Violet Ketani (GHSC-PSM), Lindabeth Doby (USAID), Swaroop Jayaprakash (WHO), Carl Leitner (WHO), Ramy Guirguis (USAID)
Moderator: Géraldine Lissalde-Bonnet (GS1 Global Office)
Objective: This session consists of presentations on global initiatives and resources. UNICEF will share information about TRVST and how UNICEF and its partners are working with countries across Africa to implement the solution. USAID will present the Traceability Interoperability Platform (TIOP) pilot and share details on its value and opportunities. WHO will present their Digital transformation handbook for health product catalogue.
Structure: 15 min presentations and 10 min Q&A (each)
Location: Virtual
Audience
Supply chain actors in West and Central Africa (Senior and mid-level national representatives from national regulatory authorities and central medical stores (CMS), Implementing partners, other interested parties.
Date
20-22 August 2024
Structure & Platform
Virtual - Zoom
Language(s)
English, French with simultaneous translation
Hosts
GS1, USAID
Organisers
USAID, WHO, GS1, and GHSC-TA Francophone TO