Project Summary:

The drugs crisis from the Republic of Moldova at the beginning of 2015 determined the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection to request the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assistance in the field of procurement and supply chain management of essential medicines. This initiative aims to avoid the fraud related to public procurement, the risk of discontinuity in the drugs supply and to reduce the time and cost of delivery and improve the quality of procured medicines.  

During 2017-2019 UNDP will procure medicines and other health products for treatment and diagnosis of diseases included in the national and special health programs, in accordance with its corporate standards, using modern tools and transparent procurement procedures. It will also contribute to the modernization of medicinal storage infrastructure, in line with international standards in the field.

As a result of UNDP’s assistance, the most vulnerable people from Republic of Moldova will have ongoing access to quality medicines at a reasonable price and in required quantities.  

Objectives:

• To procure medicines and health products included in the list of the national and special health programs, such as those intended for diagnosis and treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS and STIs, oncological diseases, hematological, tuberculosis, rare diseases, diabetes etc;
• To strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection to ensure transparency, accountability and effectiveness of the public procurement of medicines and to create a coherent pharmaceutical policy;
• To modernize public facilities for the storage of medicinal products in accordance with international standards of good distribution practices (GDP).

Expected results:

• Increased efficiency of the procurement of the critical medicines;
• Better access of the most vulnerable people to affordable and quality assured medicines;
• Strengthened capacity of the national health care procurement system;
• Modernized medicinal storage infrastructure in line with GDP standards;
• Increased transparency and accountability of the medicines procurement.

Accomplishments:

• Thanks to strategic partnership of UNDP with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, significant savings were made, which allowed to procure additional stocks of vital medicines for patients suffering from cancer, diabetes and with mental health disorders;
• Due to the savings the coverage of human insulin analogues procured under the National Diabetes Control Program increased by 50%, or for about 1300 beneficiaries, including 300 children, and for 1000 patients included in the national programme for control of cancer in 2017;
• All medicines and medical products procured were of the highest quality, respecting EU and WHO quality standards;
• 100% of the required volume of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines for patients in the Transnistrian region and additional volumes of ARV for the Chisinau Dermatological Hospital procured;
• 100% of the requested volume of tuberculosis medicines to cover the needs of the National Administration of Penitentiaries was procured;
• 100% of the requested by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection volumes and names of medicines procured;
• The transparency of the tender processes and of the lists of procured medicines by the regular publication and updating of information.