A framework to support new product introduction in national health systems
Stakeholder Engagement
Coordinating key stakeholders to ensure smooth transition of new products
In addition to collaborating with the Ministry of Health and donors, it is equally important to engage relevant partners, including procurement agencies, local implementing partners, civil society, and community representatives.
Stakeholder Engagement Checklist
Engage key Ministry of Health decision makers, partners, and opinion leaders to discuss and agree on product introduction priorities and phase-in strategies
Convene key stakeholders through national technical working groups to decide on national guidelines, priority populations, and rollout strategies
Involve key stakeholders in the rollout planning process and define clear roles and responsibilities to leverage the skills, expertise, and resources of all involved
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Ensure clear communication between program managers, procurement partners, and National Drug Regulatory Authorities (NDRAs) on national product introduction plans to guide inclusion in national forecasts and NDRA priorities
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Coordinate with procurement partners to ensure smooth commodity procurement, consumption, and monitoring for supply continuity
Leverage partners to conduct clinical trainings, facilitate mentorship, and guide accurate product use
Develop community engagement strategies to support treatment literacy and demand for optimal products
Ensure community groups are engaged throughout product introduction to help inform the rollout process and communication strategies
Consider how engagement with the media could help to disseminate key messaging around new product availability and drive demand
Stakeholder Engagement Resources
Engaging with civil society organizations, community representatives, and national networks of PLHIV is critical for empowering people and expanding access to information on new ARVs. This in turn generates demand for optimal products by having a well-informed community. Furthermore, engaging communities in the initial stages of product introduction helps promote an effective implementation of new product rollout plans. While many groups are involved in community engagement around treatment optimization, the efforts of key groups – AfroCAB, HIV i-Base, Optimal CAB, and FASTER / AIDS Free CABs – are described in more detail below.
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CHAI Stakeholder Mapping for Treatment Optimization
This tool is helpful for identifying the key stakeholders involved in new product introduction. This tool encourages users to think through all the key stakeholders who are either actively involved in processes required for product introduction, or who could be key decision makers or otherwise affected by the process. The tool helps the user to map what role is required of each stakeholder and to define a communication strategy for each key stakeholder. The tool also allows stakeholder coordinators to identify and track priority activities for key stakeholder engagement.
Optimal, FASTER, and AIDS Free Community Advisory Boards
Community engagement is a core area of CHAI’s HIV work and a central focus of the CHAI-Unitaid Optimal Project, as well as the pediatric- and adolescent- focused CDC FASTER and ELMA AIDS Free projects. Through these projects, CHAI supported the establishment of Community Advisory Boards (CABs), to foster engagement with community and civil society partners and drive forward community-led change. The Optimal CAB aimed to support new product introduction and improve understanding of and demand for new ARVs among PLHIV, providing strategic direction and leadership to strengthen community engagement in project implementation in concert with the global HIV community. FASTER and AIDS Free CABs were comprised of adolescents living with HIV and caregivers of children living with HIV, focusing on demand generation, accelerating treatment coverage, and expanding treatment and diagnostic literacy, all with the overall goal of implementing changes in HIV service delivery and standards for improved quality of care for infants, children, and adolescents living with HIV and their caregivers. Key resources developed by the CAB are highlighted below.
African Community Advisory Board and
Other Community Resources
The African Community Advisory Board (AfroCAB) is a network of HIV treatment advocates across Africa focused on providing a platform for people living with HIV to engage on key issues. Specifically, AfroCAB focuses on influencing new product development and sharing experiences on treatment optimization, product rollout, and scale-up.
The International Treatment Preparedness Coalition's Advocacy for Community Treatment (ACT) Toolkit was developed to support communities to realize their rights to optimal HIV treatment.
HIV i-Base
HIV i-Base is a treatment activist group committed to providing timely and up-to-date information about HIV treatment to community members and healthcare professionals. HIV i-Base produces informative patient resources, including information about new ARVs, the latest clinical trials, and treatment for special populations. HIV i-Base makes these resources available for adaption for use in local contexts, upon request. These resources are produced by and with the involvement of HIV positive individuals and are reviewed by a medical advisory group.
USAID HIV Product Optimization Groups and Partnerships
USAID's Market Shaping Primer looks to further the conversation around market shaping in global health by taking an in-depth look at the state of practice. Whether by better leveraging private sector participation in manufacturing and delivery, or improving value for money in the global procurement of commodities, the Primer explores the opportunities for market shaping to improve the way USAID and other donors/procurers maximize health impact.
USAID’s Center for Accelerating Innovation and Impact applies private sector approaches to the development, introduction, and scale-up of health interventions. The Center's Idea to Impact Guide describes the Center's approach to introducing and scaling new global health innovations.
Media Engagement
Proactive communication to media outlets with an interest in public health or developments in the national treatment program can support dissemination of accurate messaging on new products.
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An example of successful media engagement to disseminate information about new product rollout includes recent media coverage on pediatric dolutegravir.
