ZAMBIA Stop Stock-Out country team report

Material produced
Four fact sheets.
Essential medicines concept from WHO
Distribution system from the central medical stores
Campaign statements
Government commitments.

Media coverage
The stop stock outs campaign launch done on 8th April 2009 was covered by Radio 4, a national radio station, and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation TV station.

Reports
World TB Day
On 24th March 2009, a joint participation of 15 Network of Zambian People Living with HIV/AIDS NZP+ members and 10 Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC) members, participated in the World TB Day in Mongu district in western province of Zambia. At this event a speech was given by a TALC member who talked about the consequences of stock out of essential medicines specifically TB drugs and ARVs. Top government official present were the Deputy Minister of Health, the Provincial Minister and other top officials in the ministry.

World Health Day
The world health day took place on 7th April 2009 in Lusaka. There was another joint participation of 20 marchers of NZP+, TALC, churches, nurses, and members of the public who marched together with other line ministries and civil society organizations. The minister of health and his entourage was given the stop stock out leaflets and NZP+ Staff Casco Mubanga briefed the minister and WHO country representatives about the stock outs campaign.

Campaign Launch
The launch of the stop stock out campaign took place at Chrismar Hotel on 8th April 2009. It was attended by more than 30 people. TALC staff Chris Mumba spoke at the launch and revealed two events of stock outs of ARVs in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Casco Mubanga of NZP+ presented about essential medicines concept. The campaign was officially launched by the Director of Clinical Care Ministry of Health Dr. Simpungwe who represented the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health.

Annual General Assembly
Casco Mubanga presented on the Stop Stock-Outs campaign at the NZP+ AGM 2009. The presentation touched on the concept of essential medicines, the stop stock out campaign and countries involved in the campaign. District coordinators from all 72 districts in Zambia were asked to support the campaign and also to take part in the SMS pill exercise scheduled for the week of 22nd to 26th of June 2009. The campaign was highly appreciated by participants including NZP+ partners.

Monitoring visits
One monitoring visits has been done in Chipata district in the Eastern province. During the visit a central provincial pharmacy was visited and the provincial pharmacist was interviewed. It was revealed that kits from medical stores are received once in a month at a given date, the real challenge being transportation to the local health facilities. Some two pharmacists interviewed from Chipata Central Hospital and at Mwami Mission hospital said that one of the causes of stock outs was lack of trained pharmacists in local health centers including the central provincial pharmacy.

Poor working conditions for rural pharmacists was said to have contributed to diversion of medicines by pharmacist which leads to stock outs. Also lack of refresher training by government in forecasting and data system management contributed to poor planning which leads to stock outs and over stocking of drugs.

The two pharmacists interviewed recommended that pharmacists in the province need to communicate in to order to have information on which facilities have stock-outs and also those that have over stocked specific medicines which can re-distributed to the facility with a stock out of that specific medicines.