Table 2 Stop TB PPM Subgroup Meetings
From: Engagement of the private pharmaceutical sector for TB control: rhetoric or reality?
Year | Aspects related to private-sector retail drug outlets |
|---|---|
2002 | Involvement of pharmacies was listed as an innovative approach. Incentives for pharmacy involvement in referrals and treatment. |
2006 | Pilot experience on engaging private pharmacies in Cambodia and drug vendors in Vietnam was mentioned. |
2008 | WHO Activities in the Americas Region: The experience of NTPs in engaging private pharmacies and traditional medicine is scarce. Mexico has an agreement with the national pharmacy association. Constraints in the Americas include limited knowledge of the role and coverage of the private sector, including private pharmacies. |
Donor perspective: USAID supported the following activities Cambodia: pharmacy staff and traditional healer training and referral systems. Ethiopia: training and referral systems for private pharmacies. | |
2010 | Cambodia reported progress on engaging private doctors and pharmacists: 12,577 suspects were referred, 6,403 were evaluated, and 1,418 TB cases were identified (2005–2008). An analysis of patient health-seeking behavior helped to design the intervention. Ghana reported progress on working with regulatory authorities to restrict access to anti-TB drugs and to require private pharmacies to refer all persons suspected of having TB to the NTP. |
2011 | The terms “pharmacy” and “pharmacist” were mentioned 19 times in the meeting report and discussed frequently, as reflected in numerous presentations. The PPM secretariat was recommended to support the documentation and dissemination of innovative approaches, such as engaging pharmacists in TB care and control. NTPs and Ministries of Health were recommended to work with national pharmacy associations to tap the role of pharmacists in early case detection and improving TB treatment and care. |
2012 | One of the expected outcomes of the subgroup meeting was to produce practical tools on social franchising for and engaging pharmacies in TB care. |
2013 | Reported progress made on designing guidance and tools to engage private pharmacies. |
2014 | The meeting provided recommendations to address the knowledge gap on income sources and amounts for chemists to inform the types of incentives that might work. PPM programs must enforce regulation for the rational use of anti-TB drugs and accreditation systems for collaborating providers. |