January 23, 2014

UW Global Medicines Program a core partner to MSH’s new Award from USAID

Vietnam pharmacovigilance workshop

The UW Global Medicines Program is a core partner to a newly awarded cooperative agreement to Management Sciences for Health (MSH) by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).  This a five-year $197.9 million Cooperative Agreement for the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program follows the current Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems (SPS) Program.  SIAPS will adopt a systems-strengthening approach to ensure the availability of quality pharmaceutical products and effective pharmaceutical services to achieve desired health outcomes in developing countries.  Under the current SPS program, UW has provided technical assistance and trainings in support of SPS activities in the countries of Ethiopia, Namibia, Rwanda, India and Vietnam. In addition to conducting trainings on pharmacovigilance and pharmaceutical care strategies, UW has contributed to developing guidance documents, protocols, training material and tools in support of strengthening national pharmacovigilance systems.   “We look forward to building upon this successful partnership with MSH through the new Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services Program.  The predecessor program, SPS, has resulted in many achievements in improving the availability and use of essential medicines in low- and lower-middle income countries,” said Andy Stergachis, Principal Investigator of the UW SPS team.

While the specific activities that UW will conduct under SIAPS are still being determined according to needs, the areas in which UW will contribute include technical assistance, analysis, and training on issues related to: pharmacoepidemiology, pharmaceutical care services, pharmacovigilance, pharmacoeconomics, pharmaceutical outcomes, technology assessment and adoption, pharmacy workforce issues, and product quality control and assurance.

The SIAPS’ core partner team to MSH also includes the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, and Logistics Management Institute.  The official launch of SIAPS will be held in December 2011 in Washington DC, with Lou Garrison and Becky Bartlein in attendance representing the UW Global Medicines Program.  More information about SIAPS and MSH can be found here.

This announcement was also featured in the Association of Schools of Public Health’s Friday Letter.