Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (Path)

“The form 990 was prepared by an outside accounting firm using information provided by path accounting services staff. Path senior management reviewed the draft form. A copy of the draft was sent to the board of directors for comment. After the comment period, the principal financial officer signed the form.”

“Path has policies and procedures to address conflicts of interest. Path management and all staff at a designated level or higher within the organization must complete a conflict of interest disclosure form each year. All forms are reviewed and kept on file. A conflict management plan is developed for any employee with a significant actual or perceived conflict of interest. Path also has a well-defined procedure for identifying and reporting actual and potential conflicts of interest among board members. New board members are asked to complete a conflict of interest disclosure form within 30 days of joining the board and to complete a new form annually thereafter. In addition, members are reminded to report any new issues that arise outside of the annual disclosure period. The disclosure forms are reviewed by path's general counsel, and if any actual or potential conflicts are identified, general counsel makes a recommendation to the chair of the governance committee and the chair of the board for a management plan to properly manage any conflicts. A formal management plan is then agreed upon with the board member, and the entire board of directors is informed at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.”

“The board's executive compensation committee annually reviews salaries and benefits for executive employee positions and provides guidance to the president/chief executive officer (ceo) on compensation decisions for executive positions. The compensation and benefits for path's president/ceo are reviewed and approved by the entire board of directors each year. Path routinely uses the services of external firms to assess and benchmark executive compensation (president/ceo, vice presidents, and executive team members). The most recent major review was completed by the board compensation committee in 2020. At the request of the board, path engaged mercer (a compensation, benefits, and human resources consulting firm) to review current and proposed base salaries of path's president/ceo and executive team members. Mercer used data from multiple sources to evaluate current and proposed base salaries for these positions. The board's executive compensation committee reviewed the mercer report and approved the use of the report to establish a framework within which the president/ceo is delegated authority to establish the total compensation packages of the executive team members. Additionally, mercer reviewed the proposed total compensation and benefits package for the president/ceo position and obtained a significant number of data points to ascertain its reasonableness and appropriateness. The board approved the committee's recommendation for the president/ceo's total compensation package.”

“Path governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements are available to the public upon request; most documents are also available online.”

“Path is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world's most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, path develops and scales up solutions-including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide. Since 2011, path and our partners and supporters have improved health for more than 150 million people on average each year.”

“In ukraine, path continued to lead the usaid-funded serving life project, which reduces tb, hiv, and hepatitis c virus (hcv) transmission in the penal system and communities across 12 regions. Responding to covid-19, we offered multiple options for hivst kit delivery and advocated for virtual art initiation and monitoring; within two months of enactment of a new policy, almost 400 virtual consultations were held. In addition, with path's technical support and successful advocacy, the ministry of justice procured 60,000 hcv rapid tests and the drugs required to treat nearly 500 prisoners with hcv. As a partner in the unitaid-funded adherence support coalition to end tb project, path began a study in ukraine on implementation of digital adherence technologies (dats) and worked to establish a global market for dats; for example, the wisepill digital pillbox. By the end of 2020, wisepill was the first-ever dat included in the global drug facility catalogue. Path also continued to implement the usaid-funded support tb control efforts in ukraine (stbceu) project, which focuses on prevention, detection, and treatment of tb, drug-resistant tb, and tb/hiv. In 2020, stbceu rapidly adapted project activities to a remote model. We also began scale-up of a successful new approach for transporting diagnostic specimens and delivering drugs to treat tb and hiv. When usaid provided additional funding for emergency response to covid-19, path procured dna extractors and conducted on-the-job training to dramatically increase the number of samples for covid-19 (and other diseases) that could be tested in a day. The number of unprocessed samples at one laboratory went from 800 to zero in less than a month and remained at zero through the end of 2020. In india, path enhanced hiv service delivery through automation of data and development of a machine-learning-enabled tool to reduce loss of patients from treatment. To improve tb services, we piloted artificial intelligence to streamline chest x-ray readings, enabling quicker diagnosis and initiation on treatment. In tajikistan, kazakhstan, and uzbekistan, path developed drug-resistant tb case management guidelines, set up a digital tb prevention platform, provided technical expertise on latent tb infection, and more for the usaid eliminating tb in central asia project. In tanzania, the usaid-funded infectious disease detection and surveillance (idds) project supported key functions at the central tb reference laboratory, facilitated reporting from genexpert testing sites, and assessed the tb diagnostic network. In vietnam, path continued to pioneer differentiated and integrated service delivery through the usaid healthy markets project. In 2020, healthy markets added new modes of delivery for pre-exposure prophylaxis and hivst. The project also created one-stop shops offering prevention, testing, and treatment for hiv and sexually transmitted infections; mental health screening and referrals; gender-affirming services; and hepatitis b and c screening and treatment for plhiv. The project used social media, websites, and telephone hotlines to promote and support these services and raise awareness of covid-19. These adaptations were critical to not only continuing but actually increasing services during the pandemic; for example, the project's online hivst 3.0 ordering platform and home delivery resulted in a 93 percent increase in the number of hivst kits distributed to key populations. Through the idds project in vietnam, path continued to support the national tuberculosis program (ntp). Idds assessed progress on the "double x" strategy (chest x-ray and genexpert test) and put forth evidence-based recommendations to improve implementation. The breath for life (b4l) project 2.0 in vietnam improved and scaled up the b4l model developed in prior years. B4l 2.0 increased accurate diagnosis of pediatric tb, treatment of tb and latent tb, and tb prevention. Following a stool-based genexpert testing pilot, b”

“In 2020, mnchn staff served globally in leadership roles related to covid-19 and the protection of women and children. We presented (mostly virtually) at key global and national meetings and authored and contributed to high-profile peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, global reports, and systematic reviews. These efforts advanced thinking on broad, effective solutions to the most pressing challenges in mnchn. Sexual and reproductive health path's work in sexual and reproductive health (srh) is guided by the key principles of choice, equity, and dignity for all people. And because we understand the complex social, behavioral, and gender dimensions of women's reproductive health, we build evidence around tools and services that are best suited to address their diverse needs and circumstances. We specialize in reducing barriers to access and introducing woman-initiated products. Path champions people's right to manage their own srh by creating and advancing improved tools and practices that make self-care for srh possible. In 2020, we co-created with the governments of nigeria, senegal, and uganda their first-ever national self-care guidelines. Our integrated approach includes attention to contraception, cervical and breast cancer, sexually transmitted infections, and a woman's right to decide whether and when to become a mother. Our efforts to expand access to the self-injectable contraceptive subcutaneous dmpa (dmpa-sc, or sayana press) continued in 2020. The dmpa-sc access collaborative worked with ministries of health and multisector partners in six countries to facilitate self-injection introduction and scale-up planning for a range of contraceptives. Data from 11 countries showed nearly 300,000 client visits for contraceptive self-injection in 2020; the access collaborative also launched and supported a cadre of "self-injection ambassadors" to advance contraceptive self-injection and self-care options more broadly. Path also worked to improve the prevention, detection, and treatment of cervical precancer caused by infection with human papillomavirus (hpv). We continued our partnership with the ministries of health in guatemala, honduras, and nicaragua to scale up hpv testing in the public sector. We also evaluated follow-up and treatment strategies to ensure women receive appropriate, comprehensive care. As the project neared closeout, we worked to transition activities to the ministries. Globally, path helped shape strategies for low- and middle-income countries as part of who's call for global cervical cancer elimination. In peru, path continued to implement a model for early detection of breast cancer appropriate and feasible for low- and middle-resource settings. We partnered with the moh to design and implement a real-time digital patient tracking system for breast cancer detection. In myanmar, path supported the creation of the national strategic plan for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health; drafted a national operational plan for cervical precancer screening and treatment; created a training curriculum for health workers on sexual and reproductive health and rights (srhr), including self-care interventions; held advocacy workshops; developed srhr awareness toolkits for people living with disabilities; and responded to covid-19 by partnering with local civil-society organizations to distribute infection prevention information and supplies in refugee camps and hard-to-reach areas of two states. In india, we worked with the odisha state government to leverage the nation's postal service to deliver contraceptives by mail-and so maintain access throughout covid-19. Path continued to serve as the secretariat for the reproductive health supplies coalition, a global partnership of more than 540 public and private entities and nongovernmental organizations working to expand access to critical srh and family planning supplies and services. Noncommunicable diseases path is at the forefront of”

“India: path has worked in india for more than 20 years to improve health and save lives through innovation and collaboration with local partners. Path's projects in india focus on tb, hiv, neglected tropical diseases, vaccines (both development and delivery), and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. In 2020, path provided technical support to the government of india to expand our award-winning public-private model for tb diagnosis and treatment to 15 states across the country. Our pioneering work in rice fortification continued as well, bringing lifesaving nutrition to nearly 1 million people, including more than 650,000 schoolchildren. With the onset of covid-19, path immediately leveraged our programmatic expertise and working relationships with the government to prepare health facilities to respond to the disease. With funding from the rockefeller foundation, path and our partners worked with the state governments of maharashtra and punjab to improve access to high-quality, affordable testing for covid-19 by implementing newer diagnostic technologies and novel testing algorithms, automating data entry and analysis, and increasing human resource capacity in laboratories. We also began implementing decentralized gene sequencing platforms at the state level to accelerate identification of new viral mutations and variants. Path's india team in 2020 continued our collaboration with other south asian countries; for example, we supported development of a point-of-care "suitcase laboratory" based on recombinase polymerase amplification for rapid and accurate diagnosis of kala-azar and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis in bangladesh and nepal. Uganda: path's uganda country program has been partnering closely with the uganda moh for more than 15 years, implementing an ever-wider range of projects aimed at improving health. Below are a few highlights from 2020. As the idds project lead in uganda, path worked with the uganda government to review existing surveillance systems in human and animal health; supported development of new testing algorithms for priority zoonotic diseases; developed a standardized quality-control toolkit; assessed animal and human specimen referral systems; and supported laboratory trainings. Path's largest advocacy and public policy project-operating worldwide and funded by the bill & melinda gates foundation-continued to focus in uganda on immunization, primary health care, and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. With covid-19 disrupting health systems, path supported the moh to develop and broadly disseminate messages on covid-19 prevention and the continuity of essential health services. Path also helped draft the uganda expanded program on immunization recovery plan for immunization services during covid-19. Our advocacy for medical oxygen scale-up in uganda, launched pre-covid-19, gained added traction in the pandemic. Path worked with the kampala city authority and two leading television stations to amplify covid-19 infection prevention and control (ipc) messages; we recorded a talk show that was highly promoted and featured on one of the television stations' twitter accounts, with 1.2 million followers. With funding from the hilton foundation, path introduced onsite chlorine generation for ipc at health facilities and donated personal protective equipment and ipc materials to 48 facilities in 11 districts. We participated in a water for people working group with international rescue committee, world vision, and the us cdc to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene in health facilities. As part of a supply systems innovations grant, path coordinated the successful distribution and installation of updated cold chain equipment in ten regions of uganda and worked with the moh on hpv vaccine access and coverage. We supported who's effective vaccine management initiative to review stock status, forecasting, cold chain equipment maintenance, and logistics p”

“Work continued on the data use partnership (dup), which supports the government of tanzania to improve its health information systems. In 2020, dup refreshed the tanzania digital health investment road map and received approval for the country's new centre for digital health. Dup also finalized the tanzania health enterprise architecture, a blueprint for identifying and aligning important interrelationships between the country's digital systems to avoid fragmentation, duplication, and lack of interoperability. Path began a new project, data use acceleration and learning, to document and amplify learnings from five focal countries digitalizing their health systems. The information will support governments, implementers, policymakers, and funders as they shift their financing, guidance, and programmatic approaches to improve the use of data. Path also launched the health insight platform, a new data analytics and visualization service that uses best-in-class tools to advance data use. Last, path increased participation in high-level coalitions, including transform health, the lancet/financial times joint commission on governing health futures 2030, and the digital connected care coalition.”