Conclusions & Recommendations
20.2.2 - ITI Supply Chain Team
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC recommends that the ITI Supply Chain team finalize and share their SOPs and other supply chain tools with other NTD programs.
Action:
This is being achieved through the NTD Supply Chain Forum.
TEC 20
2019
supply chain
20.2.3 - ITI Supply Chain Team
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC recommends to ITI management to invite supply chain and management representatives from the other NTD pharmaceutical donors to future Summer TEC meetings.
Action:
ITI Management will continue to invite representatives from the other pharmaceutical companies, and would welcome TEC members’ suggestions of specific key invitees. Previous invitees have been unable to attend. TEC 22’s online format facilitated participation from a broader range of interested parties.
TEC 20
2019
supply chain, recommendations for ITI management, TEC meeting management
20.3.1 - WHO participation as Observers at TEC
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC acknowledged the presence of the World Health Organization representatives from Headquarters, PAHO, and ESPEN/AFRO and recommend that an open invitation be extended to them (and other WHO Regional Offices, as appropriate) as Observers at future TEC meetings.
Action:
This is noted and ITI Management will continue to invite WHO representatives from the regional offices, as determined by agenda topics and meeting location.
TEC 20
2019
TEC meeting management
20.4.1 - Engagement with DFID and Crown Agents for Ascend Funding
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC notes that for 2020, 14.5 million treatments in 86 districts were approved contingent on confirmation of funding where the presumed funding source is DFID/Ascend-Crown Agents, and where implementing partners are not yet identified. Given that Crown Agents is a new entity in the implementation of NTD programs, TEC recommends that ITI work closely with DFID-Ascend and Crown Agents to identify funding needs, support the inception phase, and identify where future assistance may be required.
Action:
ITI Management have been in contact with Crown Agents to provide the 2019 and 2020 funding gaps list, in areas previously supported by DFID funding. A Crown Agents representative was again invited to participate in the TEC 21 meeting; unfortunately, they were unable to send anyone. ITI Management will continue to engage with them. ITI continued to welcome engagement with Crown Agents, and Crown were invited as Observers at TEC 22.
TEC 20
2019
funding, recommendations for ITI management
20.5.1 - Ethiopia
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC recommends to ITI to include a clause in the MOU with Ethiopia to require Zithromax® inventory reporting prior to each shipment, upon request.
Action:
A clause was included in the 2020 MOU.
TEC 20
2019
Africa - East
Ethiopia
supply chain, recommendations for ITI management
20.6.1 - Ethiopia: Gambella
Conclusion/Recommendation:
Due to high population movement, TEC recommends that ITI request that the Ethiopian FMOH and Gambella RHB provide new population figures for each refugee camp.
Action:
This will be done for the 2021 Zithromax® Application. For TEC 22, the population of refugee camps was updated through Ethiopia’s Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) and reflected in the 2021 Zithromax® Application.
TEC 20
2019
Africa - East
Ethiopia
special populations, Zithromax® donation criteria
20.7.1 - Kenya
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC congratulates the Kenya MOH for their new NTD strategy and strong political engagement in the fight against NTDs. The trachoma elimination program is encouraged to ensure excellent implementation of the SAFE strategy, including high coverage, and on-time MDAs. TEC notes that reaching the TF threshold by 2022 is expected based on effective implementation and may not require anything that differs from current strategy.
Action:
This message was conveyed to the Kenya National Trachoma Program. The ITI Director and Regional Director for Africa are included on the Advisory Body for Kenya’s new NTD strategy.
The Kenya trachoma program moved from the Prevention of Blindness in the Non-Communicable Disease department to the NTD program in the Infectious Disease department.
TEC 20
2019
Africa - East
Kenya
20.7.2 - Kenya
Conclusion/Recommendation:
If the Kenyan program would like to propose an evidence-based strategy to accelerate and sustain elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, particularly in areas or populations of concern (e.g., due to migration), TEC would consider such a proposal at the next meeting in November 2019.
Action:
This message was conveyed to the Kenya National Trachoma Program; no proposals were received for TEC 21.
As of TEC 22, there was no new update from Kenya. ITI management reconsidered allocation of resources to operational research and did not actively pursue this.
TEC 20
2019
Africa - East
Kenya
alternative treatment strategies, special populations, TEC meeting management
20.8.1 - South Sudan: Juba ‘Protection of Civilians’ Camp
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC approves the request for a second round of MDA in the Juba POC camp, although TF1-9 prevalence for the camp has not been measured. A population-based prevalence survey will be needed after three rounds (or sooner, if feasible) to establish future eligibility for MDA.
Action:
This message was conveyed to the South Sudan National Trachoma Program.
As of TEC 22, the second round of MDA was planned.
TEC 20
2019
Africa - East
South Sudan
Zithromax® donation criteria, special populations
20.9.1 - Zithromax® for Refugees: Decision Making Algorithm
Conclusion/Recommendation:
TEC recommends that ITI update the refugee algorithm’s level 3 to say “Does host district have TF1-9 ≥5%?”
Action:
The refugee algorithm has been updated and the new version is included in the TEC 21 documents.
TEC 20
2019
special populations, Zithromax® donation criteria