National training on introduction of CHANNEL software programme for health care providers

The contraceptives logistics management information system (LMIS) was designed in Kyrgyzstan with the support of the UNFPA and joint collaboration of the Ministry of Health to register contraceptive supply, monitor distribution, utilization and reporting by electronic database means, computers installed in family planning outlets at all administrative levels, sending of data quarterly to the Republican Medical Information Centre for review, analysis and forecasting types and quantities of contraceptives needed in each region of the country.
The registration forms have been revised and simplified, computer systems with software are in place, and Family Medicine Centers (basic facility of contraceptives distribution) are generating the necessary information to be fed to province level through two types of data system, one universal relating to in- and out- and stock levels of commodities. The change of system and of the province gynecologists, gives opportunity to highlight the contraceptive commodities movement. Ministry of Health uses the data to ensure supply of commodities, to balance methods and regions; therefore the Ministry of Health has commission on proper distribution of RH commodities.
Based on recommendations of CST Missions the introduction of Software Spectrum or Country Commodity Manage (CCM) to improve forecasting and making emphasis on distribution of contraceptives to vulnerable and poor clients was launched in 2006. Since 2007 the working group under the MoH and Republican Medical Information Centre developed an automatized reporting system/software (CCM/12-2) of RH commodities utilization based on CCM programme. The system which allows making the quarterly report of contraceptives utilization from provinces to central level was adopted by the MoH and has been introduced on the national level.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is a key player within the project, coordinating LMIS implementation. Republican Medical Information Centre is responsible for data collection on contraceptive distribution and utilization including preparation and introduction of contraceptive forecast programme. The Drug Supply Department under the MoH is responsible for contraceptive logistics, including development of national standards for contraceptives. Therefore, within these capacities those structures managed to fulfill activities for building capacity of RH/FP institutions. These activities are as follows: training programmes, technical support, monitoring and assessment of LMIS, publication of reports forms and manual/guidelines.
Within the frame of the EECA Regional Programme the training session of the use of CHANNEL software for management of RH Commodities was conducted in Kyrgyzstan on 16-18 September, 2008 with facilitation of Mr. Joseph Abraham, Commodity Management Branch, Technical Division, UNFPA HQ and the assistance UNFPA CO national staff. The participants were the LMIS personnel in Ministry of Health commodity management units and the heads of province RH centers.
The main goal of the training was to introduce CHANNEL commodity management software for LMIS specialists and health care providers involved in contraceptives logistics.
During the training participants received knowledge and practical skills on CHANNEL software: introduction, local data entry and collection, use of reference tables, generating outputs and reports, and other advanced topics in a friendly and participatory based approach.
The mission and training was recognized as a great support provided to the Ministry of Health and UNFPA office to ensure commodity security in the country. This was one of the most successful and very well received workshops with the Ministry of Health and such commodity management software is very much demanded in the country and the Ministry of Health is excited to implement it further.