Tropical Health Matters

Njabuliso Lukhele of the Ministry of Health Swaziland shared Swaziland’s experiences in Vaccine Procurement at the recent Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) Meeting, Johannesburg, South Africa, 05-08 December 2017. A summary of his presentation appears below.

As a Lower Middle Income Country (MIC), Swaziland is not and has never been eligible to receive financial support for its immunization programs through the GAVI Alliance. Therefore, 83% of the health care budget is financed through domestic sources, and only 17% comes from from WHO and UNICEF.

Swaziland has a comprehensive Multi-Year plan (cMYP) that drives investment in immunization covering the period 2017–2021. The Government of Swaziland has been fully funding 100% of vaccine costs and average 96% of routine immunization costs over the last years. The Government of Swaziland procures vaccines and distribute to all service providers (government, regional referral and mission hospitals, public as well as private sector clinics and health facilities).

The vaccine Procurement Process begins as Requisitions are sent by Expanded Program of Immunizations (EPI) unit to the procurement unit through the chief pharmacist through documented minutes. This Minute is approved by the Financial Controller (FC) acknowledging availability of funds to furnish the procurement of the vaccines. Then a Tender document is drafted by both the EPI and procurement unit. Advertisement of tender document then takes place. Tender runs for 30 days as per procurement policy. Procurement of vaccines is done through open tender.

The 5 top vaccines (PCV, IPV, OPV, Rota, Penta) in Swaziland represented 98% of the total costs in 2015-16. While this is a major internal financial obligation, Vaccine procurement for the relatively small population of Swaziland represents approximately 0.2 percent of the overall African market by volume and about 0.4 percent by value. This puts smaller countries at a disadvantage in terms of getting good pricing and negotiating with suppliers.

Swaziland was one of the first countries for the Middle Income Country (MIC) strategy mission The MIC strategy mission recommended the need on generating efficiencies in the management of the programme, in particular in the area of procurement, with a need to explore pooled procurement as well as other options with the aim of maximizing savings on the high costs of vaccines. Government desires to achieve economic efficiency in procurement and consideration of pool procurement mechanism.

The current supplier charged 81,256,196.50 Swaziland Lilangeni (SZL) or roughly $5.8 million for the total package of vaccines needed in 2016. If UNICEF were to provide the same package it would cost SZL 62,215,336.34. or $4.5 million. While commercial suppliers can be paid on delivery, UNICEF requires approval from Ministry of Finance for the advance payment with the need to make sure the funds are sufficient for full payment.

This comparative information had valuable advocacy effect. Earlier this year (2017) a MOU signed between MOH and UNICEF. A commitment letter was sent to UNICEF supply division. Now Swaziland has a more reliable supplier and a more affordable cost, enhancing the Ministry’s capacity to save lives of its citizens. Swaziland can also serve as an example for the many other MICs and countries who are ‘graduating’ from GAVI support.

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