Celebrating 30 years EPN

In 2011, EPN celebrates 30 years of strengthening pharmaceutical services in church health systems. Read on to find out how you can help us make sure this anniversary does not go by unnoticed!

In 1981 the World Council of Churches started, within its Christian Medical Commission, a programme to address pharmaceutical issues in Church Health Systems. This programme evolved over the years into what is now the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network. As such this year, EPN celebrates 30 years of support to pharmaceutical service delivery in Church Health Systems. 

During the course of the year 2011, we will take a trip down memory lane and celebrate this anniversary through several publications and events. EPN's biggest strength is in its members. That is why we also want to involve our members in our 30 years celebrations.

Member stories: let us know how our network works for you!

We invite you, our members, to join us as we commemorate our anniversary. Let us know how our network works for you!

Tell us:

• Do you have a vision for the future of EPN?
• Do you have a memorable/interesting recollection of something from EPN’s past?
• Has an encounter/event at an EPN organized meeting or activity changed your life?
• Has the work of EPN in the past 30 years made an impact on you or your institution?
• Do you have an opinion about the sustainability of Church Networks in view of a harsh economic environment and shifting donor priorities?

We would love to hear your story.

Send your stories of not more than 1000 words to the EPN Secretariat. 

Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN)
PO Box 749 – 00606 Sarit Centre
Nairobi
Kenya
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

As many of the stories as possible will be published as part of the 30 year anniversary commemoration and the authors of the best stories will receive an EPN Carving as a token of appreciation. Please bear in mind that EPN reserves the right to edit your story prior to publication.  

Click here to read some of the first member stories that have been submitted!

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Request for Expressions Of Interest

The EPN secretariat is offering three grants of USD 1000 each to institutional members to undertake innovative activities in any of the following areas:

1. Increasing access to medicines for children
2. Addressing emerging issues in HIV and AIDS care and treatment
3. Promoting professionalism and good governance as a means of supporting the delivery of effective and efficient pharmaceutical services

The activity proposed should have a direct and demonstrable impact in the area targeted. The awards will go to the ideas that are most innovative, most likely to result in impact and offering most value for the grant. In addition, members who have shown good stewardship of EPN programmes and activities in the past will have an advantage. It is expected that one grant will be awarded in each programme area.

Expressions of interest should reach the secretariat by 8^th February 2011. Awards will be announced on the EPN website by the end of February.

NB: Meetings; Workshops; Training, Monitoring or Supervisory activities; production of IEC Materials and purchase of consumable commodities (e.g. medicines, supplies) cannot be supported.

Invitation to undertake activities under the umbrella of 30 years EPN

This year, EPN commemorates 30 years under the theme “Celebrating 30 years of Strengthening Pharmaceutical Services in Church Health Systems”.

Previously as the Pharmaceutical Programme of the World Council of Churches and more recently as EPN, our organization has worked with church health systems in various areas such as Capacity Building of Pharmacy Professionals, improving quality of medicines, raising the profile of church pharmaceutical agencies, advocacy for increased access to antiretrovirals and improving access to relevant pharmaceutical information.
In its strategy 2010 – 2015, EPN has defined the following four programme areas: Access to Medicines; HIV and AIDS care and treatment; Professionalization of Pharmaceutical Services and Pharmaceutical Information Sharing. We believe that our members will have planned their own activities which fall under these broad areas. We would like to invite you, where it is possible and relevant, to hold your activities under the umbrella of celebrating 30 years of strengthening pharmaceutical services in church health systems.

This could mean taking a few minutes to say something about the Network during the course of the activity (we have prepared power points that you can use to introduce EPN) or showing the linkage between your activity and the broader involvement of Churches in Pharmaceutical Service delivery over the years.
For activities that are proposed to be undertaken in this way, EPN Secretariat can provide some promotional materials that can be handed out to participants. We will also gladly publish reports on the activities on our website. Technical support for the activity can also be provided if feasible.

If such collaboration is interesting for you, please contact the EPN secretariat for further information.

NB: This offer is only open for activities taking place before 31^st July 2011.

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