Strategies for Success in Five Countries

Sharing different successful strategies that were used in different countries taking part in the Stop Stockouts Campaign:

• Media engagement —–> Investigative reporting and putting a human face to campaign (testimonies/personal stories by patients) – UGANDA
• Engagement with government  and collaboration with other CSOs active in the field + mobilisation of communities – ZIMBABWE
• Pill-check week campaign – Data from public/ public pressure/ applying human face to campaign – KENYA
• Using opportune moments —-> Election period (targeting local politicians, making health issues campaign issues, 367 aspiring candidates signed a pledge/ Using patnerships/ using general approach – broader issues (medicines for all not just stockouts) – MALAWI
• Engagement with officials in the government —-> alliance building with key officials – ZAMBIA
• Follow-up activities with members of parliament —-> Budget analysis/ meetings with parliamentary committees/ alliance building using core group of MPs that signed the pledge to reach out to those who had not signed/ “Health Swap” review meetings (compare government reports with alternative CSOs reports – MALAWI

Group Presentations – Malawi

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

GROUP 4 GROUP LEADER: ROSEMARY KAMBEWA – MALAWI.

CHALLENGE

• To make Parliamentarians go beyond signing the pledge cards and make the pledge have impact at local level.
• To continue the momentum started during the campaign period at local level to continue.

PROPOSED STRATEGIES

1. Health Budgetary Analysis – Conduct an analysis of the health budget to ensure government has allocated 15% or more.

1. Budget Tracking – Track the budget from national to health facility (community level)

Certificates for participants

All participants have been given certificates for attending Access to Medicines conference in Lusaka, Zambia. 

Harrison Mwima receiving his certificate from Roxanna

Stop Stockouts Campaign – Kenya

PowerPoint Presentation and rough notes from different sessions by David Musyoki from Kenya. Here is the link. 

Participants during the last day of Access to medicines conference

Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) – Zimbabwe

Community  Working Group on Health  (CWGH)

Caroline  A Mubaira

Southern  Sun Hotel, Lusaka.   Zambia

7  December to 11 December  2009

Working  with Parliaments- CWGH  Experience

• The  CWGH is a network of Civic/Community Based  Organisations

• Formed  in 1998 to take up health issues  of common concern

• Aims to  be a leader in the achievement of  equity and accessibility in health through  empowered communities

• Builds  on the principles of community participation  in health 

• Motto  “ Health is your  Right and your Responsibility”

Discussions on Intellectual Property Rights

Notes taken by Caroline Mubaira:

Services and intellectual properties

- Counterfeit – fake

-Trade mark- comes from hp.  Its up to you to believe. Trust a source

 -IP – don’t check quality

Uganda re-enforced Intellectual properties

Legislative efforts

Participants of the Access to medicines conference in Lusaka, Zambia

Sisule:

- What is problem with existing laws

- Are there gaps

- Can we fill gap instead of coming up with anti-counterfeit laws

Group Work: Regional Plans

Notes from group work discussing regional plans. Notes were taken by Njeri Kagucia

Comparative  advantage: 

- As  regional organizations, we are able to  create linkages/synergies with grassroots organizations  so that the experiences on the ground  are given a regional/continental voice

- Convening power, being able to bring a variety of players together

Saiti Chikwapulo, a participant from Malawi

Opportunities: 

- The  AFRO meeting opened its doors to civil  society and we can see if we can  influence its agenda for next year

- EALS is part of a team that is undertaking the drafting of the regional HIV bill on request from the EALA.

- EACSO Forum as the recommendations from this forum are formally

- The synchronization of the pre budgetary hearings and budget readings in EA partner states is helpful in budget tracking

Country Plans: Zimbabwe

Goals 

• Ensure Disbursements  of the money allocated to health
• Minimize/ stop diversions of medicines in the Black market
• Have a mechanism of communicating with Rural District Health Centres
• Supply chain
• Improve collection of evidence

 

Raise awareness 

• Baseline survey-  HAI to assist in five districts
  • Over time
  • Once off
• Pill check week
  • Photocopy slips with o/s
  • Human stories
• Community meetings
• Advocacy at National level
  •  
    • Disbursements

Strategies for Success in Five Countries

Sharing different successful strategies that were used in different countries taking part in the Stop Stockouts Campaign:

• UGANDA – Media engagement —–> Investigative reporting and putting a human face to campaign (testimonies/personal stories by patients) 
• ZIMBABWE – Engagement with government  and collaboration with other CSOs active in the field + mobilisation of communities 
• KENYA - Pill-check week campaign – Data from public/ public pressure/ applying human face to campaign 
• MALAWI – Using opportune moments —-> Election period (targeting local politicians, making health issues campaign issues, 367 aspiring candidates signed a pledge/ Using patnerships/ using general approach – broader issues (medicines for all not just stockouts) 
• ZAMBIA – Engagement with officials in the government —-> alliance building with key officials 
• MALAWI - Follow-up activities with members of parliament —-> Budget analysis/ meetings with parliamentary committees/ alliance building using core group of MPs that signed the pledge to reach out to those who had not signed/ “Health Swap” review meetings (compare government reports with alternative CSOs reports 

2009 Successes

Success stories from 5 countries:

1. Uganda: 

- Success in engaging /educating the media. Message in the media filtered through to decision makers, thanks to strong reporting. This lead to policy changes including the establishment of Drug Monitoring Unit

2. Zimbabwe: 

- Focus on resources >>> Adoption of Abuja commitments in health budget

3. Kenya:

- Positive response from government >>>> from denial to appreciation/recognition of challenges vis a vis procurement and supply chain management

4. Malawi: 

- Use of opportune moment to push access to medicines agenda in election campaigns >>> incorporation of access to medicines issues into political debates during election campaigns

5. Zambia: 

- Close collaboration with government, recognition and support from government departments/officials. 

- Findings from the campaign led to commitments by the government to review drug supply chain management