Updates
Hormonal IUD: The importance of monitoring and tracking the inventory
09 May 2022
The family planning community has worked with contraceptive manufacturers to increase access to the hormonal intrauterine device (IUD), a highly effective and safe contraceptive, for women and girls throughout the world. This method is newly accessible to country programmes due to the affordable pricing negotiated with manufacturers. UNFPA and USAID are very excited to have introduced the hormonal IUD so to provide another contraceptive option for women, adolescents, and girls.
Reaching an agreement with hormonal IUD manufacturers on pricing was achieved with a shared understanding that the following is required:
- Country recipients will closely monitor and track the inventory of the hormonal IUD product throughout the country's supply chain.
- If leakage to unintended destinations is identified, whether through loss, diversion, or theft, there may be consequences for continued access to the method. Manufacturers may discontinue offering the affordable pricing, and country programmes may lose access to the product.
As with other products, the responsibility for ensuring appropriate handling of the hormonal IUD rests with the receiving public health supply chain authorities and programme implementers. Recipient supply systems will be held accountable for the proper handling of hormonal IUDs. Systems must monitor the movement of the hormonal IUD throughout the supply chain - from central or regional warehouses and distribution centers to districts and point-of-care facilities, including distribution of products by social marketing organizations. All stakeholders involved in the handling or distribution of the product must take measures to prevent leakage, and report inventory data to responsible authorities.
Donors and manufacturers will be monitoring supply at the global level. If issues with leakage are identified in a recipient country that have not been reported or addressed, consequences may include ineligibility of the country for continued supply of the method under the agreed-on pricing.
If your programme requires assistance in ensuring a protective level of tracking for this product, the Hormonal IUD Access Group is prepared to discuss how it can support you. Please contact UNFPA Supply Chain Management unit at supplychain@unfpa.org.
