India: State of Karnataka  

Karnataka with a population of 61 million is among the Indian states with the highest HIV prevalence. Expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a priority for the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS). The SPS Program – funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s India Mission - has been working in India since December 2009 to assist KSAPS and other local partners to address pharmaceutical management issues related to the management of antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) and other ART-related medicines and commodities.

Pharmacovigilance

In March 2011, SPS assisted KSAPS in conducting a rapid systems analysis of the pharmacovigilance system for Karnataka’s ART program. SPS worked with KSAPS and local partners to review mechanisms and procedures for monitoring, evaluating, and reporting ART-related adverse drug events as well as intervening and providing feedback; map existing linkages with the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) for Assuring Drug Safety, and identify strengths, opportunities, gaps, and potential strategies to strengthen pharmacovigilance for the ART program in Karnataka State.

To support KSAPS’ interest in incorporating active surveillance methodologies into Karnataka’s ART program, SPS developed a protocol for establishing a pharmacovigilance system for monitoring the safety and tolerability of ARVs through sentinel site active surveillance. SPS and KSAPS presented the draft protocol and operational plan for establishing a system and platform for active safety surveillance and longitudinal monitoring of patients taking ARVs in the State of Karnataka to stakeholders for comment and finalized the report in September 2011.

Capacity Building

In 2010, SPS partnered with the USAID-funded Samastha project in supporting KSAPS to scale up the ART program in Karnataka through strengthening the capacity of pharmacists to appropriately manage medicines to avoid stock-outs and expiries, while also working to enhance the appropriate use of ARVs and other ART-related pharmaceuticals. SPS generic HIV/AIDS pharmaceutical management training materials have been adapted for local use. Additionally, a Training-of-Trainers workshop along with support for trained trainers to conduct two workshops in spring and summer of that same year were provided with 33 of the 34 pharmacists stationed at ART centers in the state attending one of the two workshops.

To encourage pharmacists to apply the skills and knowledge acquired at their workplace, SPS worked with KSAPS and partners to incorporate pharmaceutical management into their ongoing performance improvement approaches and monitoring activities at ART centers. An ART pharmaceutical management monitoring checklist was drafted for facility staff and partners who provide oversight to ART centers to use as a self assessment and supervisory tool.

Read more about SPS’ work in India’s State of Kamataka -

Last Updated: 05 January 2012