As a key partner of Ministry of Health (MOH) Ethiopia, The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) had been implementing the Child Survival Project (CSP) since October 2015. Strengthening DTC was one of its focuses to improve overall supply chain management (SCM). The objectives of this study are to review the evolution of DTCs in Ethiopia from their early years to current practice and identify the major hindering factors for their functionality. A descriptive study design was employed with mainly qualitative data collection methods and analysis. The assessment made use of both qualitative and quantitative data, generated from primary sources through key informant interviews and from secondary sources through desk review methods. Results: DTCs were introduced in Ethiopia in the early 1980’s. The mandate of DTCs has been given to four different government organizations since this time. As a result, its implementation was lagging. Recently, the government and its partners have given attention to DTCs. More than 5847 professionals underwent DTC training from 2016 onwards. DTC establishment in healthFacilities (HFs) improved from 85% to 98% between 2015 and 2019 during baseline and end line assessments carried out by CHAI/CSP. Similarly, DTC functionality in HFs improved from 20% to 63%. The CHAI/CSP regular supervision data analysis revealed that DTC establishment Improved from 83% to 100% of HFs, while its functionality improved from 5% to 72% between 2016 and 2019, respectively. A chi-square test of independence examining the relationship between facility and pharmacy head training on DTCs and functionality of DTC in the same Facility revealed significant association between the two variables at p<0.0001.Conclusions: Providing consistent capacity building and availing strong monitoring and Evaluation system improves functionality of DTCs. Moreover, national coordinating bodies for DTCs and similar structures at Regional Health Bureaus and woreda health offices should be  established

• DTC
• Establishment
• Functionality

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10285046/

This data element contain the Final Report on the Study of Drug and Therapeutic Committee (DTC) Evolution and Expanded Scope in Ethiopia at November 12, 2019. Objectives of this study are to review the evolution of DTCs in Ethiopia from their early years to current practice; identify the major hindering factors for their functionality and impact on the pharmaceutical SCM system and pharmacy service and propose feasible recommendations. A descriptive study design was employed with mainly qualitative data collection methods and analyses thematically and SPSS version 24 was applied for descriptive data analysis and some statistical tests like the Chi-Square test of independence was used to determine if there is an association between categorical variables. Variables investigated: Availability of Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) trained health facility, Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) establishment, Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) functionality improvement, HFs that established DTCs with DTC members assigned, in all study area. Both the MOH and partners should give special attention to pastoralist areas to strengthen DTCs so as to improve overall SCM and pharmaceutical supplies, because to make DTC functional at facility level, concerted and coordinated efforts in terms of capacity building and follow up mechanisms should be in place.

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