Global antimicrobial stewardship and the need for pharmaceutical system strengthening for antimicrobials within a One Health approach.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted both the vulnerabilities and the critical role of global pharmaceutical systems in enabling equitable access to medicines. In this personal view, we position the pharmaceutical system as a missed research and investment opportunity that, if integrated properly, would benefit antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes within a One Health approach.

Key Findings: The pharmaceutical supply management cycle (PSMC) illustrates the continuous interdependence between four key phases: selection, procurement, distribution and use.

Building supply chain capacity for neglected tropical diseases: experience from the Ascend West and Central Africa programme.

The Ascend West and Central Africa programme, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting integrated preventative chemotherapy for up to five neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including intestinal worms, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, trachoma and schistosomiasis. The programme is implemented across 13 countries by a consortium of four leading international development partners: Sightsavers, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Foundation and Mott Macdonald. This paper presents messages learnt from country assessments that took place prior to the global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Bridging the gap: the role of pharmacists in managing the drug supply cycle within non-governmental organizations.

Access to essential medicines remains one of the biggest problems that developing countries are facing in health care systems. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are implementing health programmes on the ground in areas affected by natural disasters or conflict. A vital component of these health programmes is the drug supply system.