Ensuring the Quality of Subnationally Procured MNCH Medical Products

Subnational procurement occurs for many reasons—from decentralization to averting stock-outs. However, in addition to making medicines available to achieve good health outcomes, the aim should be to procure effective, quality-assured medicines at the lowest possible cost. This issue is particularly relevant for maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) medicines, which in most countries are primarily government-funded and so, in addition to any national procurement, may sometimes be procured at a subnational level. This MTaPS technical brief on ensuring the quality of products procured subnationally describes practices in Tanzania, Nigeria, and Liberia was developed as a result of a data-gathering exercise in Tanzania and Nigeria in 2020 and information obtained from key informants in Liberia. It describes how subnational procurement is currently conducted, highlighting best practices to ensure the quality of those products procured. It provides a set of considerations for countries setting up or implementing subnational procurement, as well as a set of specific recommendations for Tanzania and Nigeria based on the data gathered.