Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) evolvement and expanded scope in Ethiopia

Background: As a key partner of Ministry of Health (MOH) Ethiopia, The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) had been implementing the Child Survival Project (CSP) since October 2015. Strengthening DTC was one of its focuses to improve overall supply chain management (SCM). The objectives of this study are to review the evolution of DTCs in Ethiopia from their early years to current practice and identify the major hindering factors for their functionality. Methods: A descriptive study design was employed with mainly qualitative data collection methods and analysis. The assessment made use of both qualitative and quantitative data, generated from primary sources through key informant interviews and from secondary sources through desk review methods. Results: DTCs were introduced in Ethiopia in the early 1980’s. The mandate of DTCs has been given to four different government organizations since this time. As a result, its implementation was lagging. Recently, the government and its partners have given attention to DTCs. More than 5847 professionals underwent DTC training from 2016 onwards. DTC establishment in health facilities (HFs) improved from 85% to 98% between 2015 and 2019 during baseline and endline assessments carried out by CHAI/CSP. Similarly, DTC functionality in HFs improved from 20% to 63%. The CHAI/CSP regular supervision data analysis revealed that DTC establishment improved from 83% to 100% of HFs, while its functionality improved from 5% to 72% between 2016 and 2019, respectively. A chi-square test of independence examining the relationship between facility and pharmacy head training on DTCs and functionality of DTC in the same facility revealed significant association between the two variables at p<0.0001. Conclusions: Providing consistent capacity building and availing strong monitoring and evaluation system improves functionality of DTCs. Moreover, national coordinating bodies for DTCs and similar structures at Regional Health Bureaus and woreda health offices should be established.