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Review
. 2015 Dec 10;9(12):e0004115.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004115. eCollection 2015 Dec.

Assessing "First Mile" Supply Chain Factors Affecting Timeliness of School-Based Deworming Interventions: Supply and Logistics Performance Indicators

Kimberly M Koporc  1 , Eric Strunz  1 , Cassandra Holloway  1 , David G Addiss  1 , William Lin  2
Affiliations
Review

Assessing "First Mile" Supply Chain Factors Affecting Timeliness of School-Based Deworming Interventions: Supply and Logistics Performance Indicators

Kimberly M Koporc et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Between 2007 and 2012, Children Without Worms (CWW) oversaw the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) donation of Vermox (mebendazole) for treatment of school-age children to control soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH). To identify factors associated with on-time, delayed, or missed mass drug administration (MDA) interventions, and explore possible indicators for supply chain performance for drug donation programs, we reviewed program data for the 14 STH-endemic countries CWW supported during 2007-2012.

Methodology: Data from drug applications, shipping records, and annual treatment reports were tracked using Microsoft Excel. Qualitative data from interviews with key personnel were used to provide additional context on the causes of delayed or missed MDAs. Four possible contributory factors to delayed or missed MDAs were considered: production, shipping, customs clearance, and miscellaneous in-country issues. Coverage rates were calculated by dividing the number of treatments administered by the number of children targeted during the MDA.

Principal findings: Of the approved requests for 78 MDAs, 54 MDAs (69%) were successfully implemented during or before the scheduled month. Ten MDAs (13%) were classified as delayed; seven of these were delayed by one month or less. An additional 14 MDAs (18%) were classified as missed. For the 64 on-time or delayed MDAs, the mean coverage was approximately 88%.

Conclusions and significance: To continue to assess the supply chain processes and identify areas for improvement, we identified four indicators or metrics for supply chain performance that can be applied across all neglected tropical disease (NTD) drug donation programs: (1) donor having available inventory to satisfy the country request for donation; (2) donor shipping the approved number of doses; (3) shipment arriving at the Central Medical Stores one month in advance of the scheduled MDA date; and (4) country programs implementing the MDA as scheduled.

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Conflict of interest statement

I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: This article assesses the supply chain performance of Johnson & Johnson and Children Without Worms from 2007–2012. All authors are affiliated with either Johnson & Johnson or Children Without Worms.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Approved Vermox doses (millions) and number of countries supported by year.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Distribution of reported treatment coverage, 64 CWW-supported MDAs, 2007–2012.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization. Planning, requesting medicines and reporting for preventive chemotherapy. Weekly Epidemiological Record. 2015; 90(14): 133–146. - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization. Investing to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases: third WHO report on neglected tropical diseases. World Health Organization, Geneva. 2015. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/152781/1/9789241564861_eng.pdf?... (Accessed 2 April 2015).

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