Our ongoing and completed projects

A key solution to addressing challenges in the pharmaceutical sector in Bangladesh lies in leveraging the private sector drug sellers, who are a primary source of medicines in many developing countries. Until the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) initiated reforms during the implementation of the Health, Population, and Nutrition Sector Development Program (HPNSDP), accreditation of drug sellers was not established in Bangladesh. With the support of JDTAF, MSH collaborated with DGDA and other sector stakeholders to develop the first accreditation standards for retail medicine outlets. This included designing and implementing an accreditation program for two new levels of pharmaceutical outlets: Model Pharmacy and Model Medicine Shop.

The accreditation standards for retail medicine outlets in Bangladesh have been approved by the competent authority, and MSH has also developed various strategies to support the implementation of these standards. Recognizing the importance of continuing this initiative, and based on extensive relevant experience, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has included the piloting of the approved accreditation model for retail medicine outlets as part of their efforts. In partnership with DFID Bangladesh, the "Better Health in Bangladesh" program is supporting the 4th phase of the Health, Nutrition, and Population Sector Program (HNPSP) for a period of five years. This collaboration aims to improve the regulatory environment, enhance pharmaceutical sector standards, and create a robust accreditation system for the retail medicine outlets across the country.

Improving access to quality medicines and pharmaceutical services is a critical aspect of enhancing clinical care and overall public health. In developing countries, including Bangladesh, many leading causes of death and disability can be prevented, treated, or at least alleviated with cost-effective essential medicines. However, despite the proven effectiveness of these medicines, hundreds of millions of people lack regular access to essential drugs. Furthermore, even those who have access often face challenges such as receiving incorrect treatments, inadequate doses for their condition, or failing to use the medication appropriately. These issues contribute to poor health outcomes and exacerbate the burden of disease.

Ensuring the availability, affordability, accessibility, and appropriate use of quality medicines is therefore essential to improving the health status of populations, particularly in countries like Bangladesh. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive and efficient pharmaceutical management system to ensure the right medicines are available, correctly prescribed, and appropriately dispensed.

The Pharmacy Management Software for Model Pharmacy and Model Medicine Shop project is designed to improve the management and delivery of pharmaceutical services in Bangladesh by supporting the Model Pharmacy and Model Medicine Shop initiatives. This software solution aims to streamline the pharmacy operations, ensuring the efficient handling of medicines, tracking of inventory, management of patient prescriptions, and the provision of accurate medical information. By automating and digitizing the pharmacy operations, the software will help minimize errors, improve inventory control, and ensure that patients receive the correct medications at the right dosages.

In addition, the software will support the accreditation process for these outlets by enabling them to meet the regulatory standards established by the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW). This system will contribute to the overall goal of improving access to quality medicines, enhancing patient safety, and supporting the broader health sector reforms in Bangladesh. Through this project, we aim to create a model for pharmaceutical management that can be scaled to improve medicine access and healthcare delivery across the country.

DHIS2 is an open-source information system designed for data analysis, reporting, and powerful data visualization, including charts, GIS, and pivot tables. In Nigeria, DHIS2 Tracker is being utilized to monitor the business activity plan for the year. The business plan serves as a method for gathering budget and expenditure records from health facilities, organized into quarterly reports. These reports track income, budget allocations, and expenditures over four quarters of the year, providing a comprehensive view for decision-making analysis and visualization.

The budget and expenditure plans are funded by various sources, including government agencies, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), donors, the World Bank, and other global partners. The purpose of this system is to ensure that financial resources are efficiently allocated and spent. By providing transparent monitoring of income and expenditure, the system aims to reduce overspending and avoid duplicative projects, thereby ensuring effective and efficient spending that directly supports improved service delivery in the health sector.

The project involves customizing and implementing DHIS2 for tracking and reporting on these budget and expenditure plans, as well as integrating it with an external custom application – APTMIS – to further streamline the data collection and management process. This integration will enhance the ability to monitor and analyze financial data across health facilities, ultimately contributing to more effective healthcare resource management and service delivery in Nigeria.

The objective of this project is to design and develop a comprehensive web application and Business Intelligence (BI) application to support the development of the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park, under the ICT Division. The web application will serve as a centralized platform for managing a wide range of project-related data, including project information, HR activity planning, and monitoring project activities.

Key features of the web application will include dynamic project dashboards for tracking progress, skill enhancement initiatives, and the integration of various project-related modules such as environmental regulations, contact management, and multimedia galleries. The application will also support multi-language capabilities to ensure accessibility and usability for diverse stakeholders involved in the project.

The BI application will facilitate advanced data visualization and reporting, enabling key decision-makers to easily access project data, performance metrics, and other key insights through interactive and customizable BI reports. This will support effective project management, timely decision-making, and informed policy development.

Additionally, the platform will include archiving functionalities, ensuring that all project documentation and data are securely stored and easily accessible for future reference. By incorporating these advanced features, the web and BI applications will streamline the management of the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park development, enhancing the efficiency of the project and contributing to the ICT Division’s long-term goals for technological innovation and economic growth in Bangladesh.

Overall, the web application and BI tools will act as a vital resource for stakeholders, providing real-time access to project progress, reports, and data, ensuring a smooth and efficient development process for the Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park.

This project involves the comprehensive setup, installation, customization, and implementation of the DHIS2 platform in the Philippines, aimed at strengthening the country's health information system. The DHIS2 server will be installed on an Ubuntu 19.04 LTS server, hosted via Cloud, ensuring scalability, flexibility, and secure access for stakeholders across the country. A detailed installation guide will be created for the Ubuntu 19.04 LTS environment on DigitalOcean, providing step-by-step instructions for setting up and configuring the DHIS2 system, tailored to meet the needs of the Philippines' health data management.

The project will begin with the initial configuration of the DHIS2 server, which includes the creation of organizational groups, data elements, and assignment of data sets. This foundational setup will allow for the seamless integration of health data, enabling accurate data entry, monitoring, and reporting. Specifically, the aggregated data set configuration will be tailored to align with the needs of the Philippines’ health sector, ensuring the collection of relevant and high-quality health information.

One of the key aspects of this project is the customization of the DHIS2 platform to accommodate the Tuberculosis (TB) Tracker system. This will involve configuring the TB Tracker module, ensuring that it is capable of capturing, monitoring, and analyzing tuberculosis-related data at national, regional, and local levels. The customization will allow for real-time tracking of TB patients, treatment outcomes, and other relevant indicators, facilitating effective decision-making and resource allocation.

The implementation phase will ensure that all stakeholders, including government health agencies, healthcare providers, and other relevant entities, have access to the DHIS2 platform for real-time data entry, monitoring, and reporting. Additionally, training will be provided to ensure that all users are equipped with the knowledge and skills to utilize the DHIS2 system effectively.

By implementing DHIS2, the Philippines will significantly enhance its capacity for health data management, enabling better decision-making, improved healthcare service delivery, and stronger disease surveillance systems, particularly in the context of tuberculosis control. The successful execution of this project will play a crucial role in the country’s ongoing efforts to improve public health outcomes and achieve sustainable health development goals.

The prevalence of malnutrition among children and mothers in Bangladesh is alarmingly high, underscoring the urgent need for action to achieve food security, particularly for the rural population. The National Nutrition Programme (NNP) stands as one of the success stories of the collaboration between the Government of Bangladesh and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), aimed at assisting children and women suffering from malnutrition. The success of the Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Project (BINP), a large-scale initiative undertaken by the Government of Bangladesh with support from the World Bank and other donors, has demonstrated that community mobilization and nutrition services provided by NGOs can lead to rapid and sustainable reductions in severe malnutrition among children. This initiative has successfully delivered targeted food and micronutrient supplements to reproductive women, addressing chronic energy and micronutrient deficiencies.

The project’s goal is to improve the nutritional status of women and children so that malnutrition is no longer a public health problem. The objectives for the NNS eLMIS include ensuring an adequate, timely, and uninterrupted supply of nutrition logistics and commodities, conducting a feasibility study for the logistics management information system (LMIS), designing a workflow for the NNS eLMIS/LMIS, following up on medicine supply, selecting medicines, and determining expected outcomes. Furthermore, the project aims to develop an integrated logistics management system in collaboration with DGHS (Directorate General of Health Services) and DGFP (Directorate General of Family Planning), and to integrate the NNS medicines and logistics with DHIS2 and the DGHS eLMIS dashboard.