Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: Effective supply chain management (SCM) of point-of-care
(POC) tests for diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) requires active participation from diverse stakeholders,
government entities, and regulatory bodies. The responsibility for overseeing
various aspects of POC tests, including procurement, quality assurance,
storage, inventory management, distribution, and human resource capacity,
lies with national, provincial, and local levels of government. This study aimed
to collaboratively develop an innovative approach to enhance SCM for SARSCoV-2 POC diagnostic services in resource-limited settings, using the Mopani
District in Limpopo province, South Africa, as a case study.
METHODS: Key stakeholders were invited to participate in an online workshop
using purposive sampling. The study employed the nominal group technique
(NGT) for data collection, which consisted of two phases. Phase 1 focused on
identifying barriers in the supply chain of COVID-19 rapid tests, while phase 2
aimed to devise strategies to overcome the priority barriers identified in phase
1. Participants used a Likert scale of 1–5 to rank barriers and strategies, and an
overall ranking score was calculated for each. The participants were provided
with the results of the ranking exercise for their feedback.
RESULTS: Eleven key stakeholders from national (n = 1), provincial (n = 4), and
local government (n = 2) levels, research entities (n = 3), and non-governmental
organizations (n = 1) took part in the study. Participants identified significant
barriers in the supply chain, such as the availability of testing kits, unknown
demand, information on SCM during a pandemic, methods of controlling stock,
and procurement processes. Strategies suggested by key stakeholders included monitoring stock levels and optimizing stock visibility systems to improve test
availability, enhancing information visibility and consistent data updates to
address unknown demand and improve SCM during a pandemic, employing
data capturing and digitization for effective stock control, and implementing
demand planning and standardized procurement processes at the national level
to enhance stock procurement.
DISCUSSION: The successful collaboration with key stakeholders, facilitated by
the NGT, resulted in the co-creation of a novel approach to enhance SCM for
COVID-19 diagnostic services in resource-limited settings. This study holds
the potential to support the provision of COVID-19 diagnostic services in
such settings. A recommended follow-up study would assess the feasibility of
implementing this approach.
