UNASSIGNED: Key stakeholders were invited to participate in an online workshop using purposive sampling. The study employed the nominal group technique (NGT) for data collection, which consisted of two phases. Phase 1 focused on identifying barriers in the supply chain of COVID-19 rapid tests, while phase 2 aimed to devise strategies to overcome the priority barriers identified in phase 1. Participants used a Likert scale of 1-5 to rank barriers and strategies, and an overall ranking score was calculated for each. The participants were provided with the results of the ranking exercise for their feedback.
UNASSIGNED: Eleven key stakeholders from national (n = 1), provincial (n = 4), and local government (n = 2) levels, research entities (n = 3), and non-governmental organizations (n = 1) took part in the study. Participants identified significant barriers in the supply chain, such as the availability of testing kits, unknown demand, information on SCM during a pandemic, methods of controlling stock, and procurement processes. Strategies suggested by key stakeholders included monitoring stock levels and optimizing stock visibility systems to improve test availability, enhancing information visibility and consistent data updates to address unknown demand and improve SCM during a pandemic, employing data capturing and digitization for effective stock control, and implementing demand planning and standardized procurement processes at the national level to enhance stock procurement.
UNASSIGNED: The successful collaboration with key stakeholders, facilitated by the NGT, resulted in the co-creation of a novel approach to enhance SCM for COVID-19 diagnostic services in resource-limited settings. This study holds the potential to support the provision of COVID-19 diagnostic services in such settings. A recommended follow-up study would assess the feasibility of implementing this approach.
■主要利益相关者被邀请参加使用目的抽样的在线研讨会。研究采用名义分组技术(NGT)进行数据收集,由两个阶段组成。第一阶段侧重于识别COVID-19快速测试供应链中的障碍,而第二阶段旨在制定战略,克服第一阶段确定的优先障碍。参与者使用1-5的李克特量表对障碍和策略进行排名,并计算每个人的总体排名得分。向参与者提供了排名练习的结果,以获得反馈。
■来自国家(n=1)的11个主要利益相关者,省(n=4),和地方政府(n=2)级,研究实体(n=3),和非政府组织(n=1)参加了这项研究。参与者确定了供应链中的重大障碍,例如检测试剂盒的可用性,未知的需求,大流行期间关于SCM的信息,控制库存的方法,和采购流程。关键利益相关者建议的策略包括监控库存水平和优化库存可见性系统以提高测试可用性,增强信息可见性和一致的数据更新,以解决大流行期间的未知需求并改善SCM,采用数据捕获和数字化来进行有效的库存控制,并在国家一级实施需求规划和标准化采购流程,以加强库存采购。
■与关键利益相关者的成功合作,由NGT推动,共同创造了一种新的方法,在资源有限的环境中加强COVID-19诊断服务的SCM。这项研究有可能支持在这种情况下提供COVID-19诊断服务。建议进行的后续研究将评估实施这种方法的可行性。