The difference between success and failure is a great team. Malaria commodities namely ALs and mRDTs were out of stock in Busia County for quite some time, this negatively affected Community Case Management of malaria supported by well-trained CHVs. Samia being the most affected since February when KEMSA supplied malaria commodities to health facilities within Busia County.
Stock outs of commodities were as a result of delay in distribution by KEMSA, inadequate logical support to re-distribute commodities across sub-counties and inadequate communication between link facility in-charges and sub county malaria focal person on the availability of commodities in facilities. This resulted to low testing and subsequent treatment of suspected cases of malaria with 262 Community Health Volunteers supported by PS Kenya under Audere Mrdt project.
To improve malaria cases testing and treatment, PS Kenya came up with measures to improve redistribution of commodities across the link facilities supporting Audere project. The measures included; joint planning with MoH on stock level of malaria commodities and redistribution, collaboration with key departments i.e. pharmacy department, sub-county malaria focal persons, facility in-charges , provision of logistical support for distribution of commodities from one sub-county to another and lastly, improved communication across sub counties on commodities availability per facility per sub-county via use of a WhatsApp group duped community case management of malaria support. Moreover, the MoH personnel supported the initiative of re-distribution a cross sub-counties.
During the monthly meetings, it was established that Teso South had higher stock of Malaria commodities while Samia had stock out of such commodities the project assisted in redistribution of the commodities across the sub-counties.
Even though KEMSA delivered the commodities, mRDTs were lacking in the consignment delivered. The project supported in procurement of mRDTs and other commodities in the spirit of ensuring case management of malaria is a big success which has led to great success and achievement of targets as shown below.
Story compiled by Mary Akumu, MNCH Project Officer.