Support to the drug quality monitoring system in Myanmar 05.07.2018

To identify drug name, dosage, form, batch number and expiry dates, stock cards and bin cards are filled correctly with up-to-date information and properly displayed at National Malaria Control Programme medical store, Magway Township. Photo: UNOPS

To identify drug name, dosage, form, batch number and expiry dates, stock cards and bin cards are filled correctly with up-to-date information and properly displayed at National Malaria Control Programme medical store, Magway Township. Photo: UNOPS

The RAI2-Elimination (RAI2E) grant is funding support to strengthen the quality monitoring system, to improve the quality assurance of anti-malarial drugs and diagnostics, procured with support from the Global Fund in Myanmar.

An in-country quality monitoring system for pharmaceuticals products has been developed, in collaboration with the Myanmar Food and Drug Administration (FDA). UNOPS plays the role of secretariat for the in-country quality monitoring system.

The support will strengthen the capacity of the quality monitoring team, whose members are technical experts from FDA, World Health Organization (WHO), all National Programmes, Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD), National Health Laboratory (NHL), along with UNOPS.

The team meets regularly and develops the sampling and testing plan for Myanmar. In collaboration with FDA, samples of malaria drugs for quality testing are taken regularly from different locations across the country. These are then sent to WHO prequalified laboratories for testing. Tests results are subsequently shared with all members of the in-country quality monitoring team.

These measures are part of the RAI2-Elimination (RAI2E) programme, the goal of which is to accelerate elimination of P. falciparum malaria in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The RAI2E supports increased malaria service coverage for remote populations in border areas and other at-risk populations, as well as case management through health volunteers and strengthening of national surveillance systems.

UNOPS has been selected as a Regional Principal Recipient for the RAI2E, which covers five of the GMS countries, including Myanmar, for the period 2018–2020 and with a total grant of US$243 million.