This summer, IntraHealth International’s FUNZOKenya project and our partners in the Clinton Global Initiative will begin rolling out new computer-based training designed to help Kenya’s pharmaceutical technologists and technicians manage their resources, supplies, and facilities both efficiently and effectively.

Stock outs—or shortages of drugs and medicines such as antiretroviral therapy, vaccines, and family planning supplies—are a frequent problem in Kenya’s health care supply chain. But pharmaceutical health workers are perfectly placed to prevent these problematic shortages.

That’s why IntraHealth is teaming up with Kenya’s Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) to develop commodities-management eLearning courses and offer them through the Intel Skoool platform.

Health workers will learn how to accurately project and budget for the medicines their communities need. The courses will also help participants prevent overstocking—which can lead to expired supplies and waste—by establishing appropriate stock holding levels. And the online format will allow workers to get the training they need without necessarily leaving their places of work.

MEDS has offered similar face-to-face training on supply-chain management since 1987, helping doctors, nurses, pharmacy staff, and other health workers to manage their resources and facilities. In the past year alone, MEDS trained over 300 Kenyan health workers. The new eLearning format will reach more health workers in rural and remote areas who cannot always travel to attend face-to-face training. The courses will also be available to new health workers as soon as they leave school and enter the field.

As a first step in creating the eLearning courses, IntraHealth and Intel trained 12 faculty members and trainers from MEDS, the Kenya Medical Training College, and other local organizations this month to use a variety of tools—including iSpring, Articulate, and Flash—to convert training materials and content into user-friendly eLearning courses.

The Clinton Global Initiative

IntraHealth launched its commitment to action for the Clinton Global Initiative in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 5, 2012. “The initiative is about finding smart ways to package the work done by health workers through technology so that they can be more effective,” says IntraHealth President and CEO Pape Gaye.

IntraHealth is a leading partner in the initiative, which aims to ensure Kenya’s frontline health workers have the skills and knowledge they need to tackle the complex health challenges facing the Kenyan population.

IntraHealth’s partners in the Clinton Global Initiative include the Government of Kenya, Avallain, iHub, Intel, Medic Mobile, and Safaricom. The FUNZOKenya project is funded by the US Agency for International Development.