EPN - Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network

Activities for Phase 1 of the EPN Access to Essential Medicines project are:

• To support the development of the project and draw up and prioritize a list of guidelines and indicators for those guidelines to be used in the project.
• To carry out a baseline survey of existing compliance with the EPN guidelines, initially in six countries, Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, Togo, Cameroon, and Tanzania (see below for the survey tools) .
• To present results to members and partners in-country and to a wider audience.

Baseline survey

A baseline survey is the measurement of key indicators before any intervention is started. The guidelines will be used as indicators. The survey results are required in order to set realistic targets, measure change, and make comparisons.

The baseline survey has been prioritized over a situation analysis because the programme has already identified indicators. Measuring the starting point for these indicators produces a situation analysis that covers those aspects that the programme can itself influence.

The purpose of the baseline survey is therefore to provide the required starting point information to allow the development of the country-specific design and management processes for maximizing access to essential medicines.

In addition to supplying required information and a reusable methodology, three further benefits have been identified for this work:

1. It sets the tone and draws out realistic timeframes and potential impacts, and involves people and organizations from the beginning.
2. It will improve decision making around programme and policy objectives, priorities, and allocation of resources, improve methodologies, and maintain the relevance of interventions.
3. The knowledge, outputs, and capacities gained in performing the work will also be relevant to the collaboration partners’ respective ongoing programmes of work.

The baseline survey methodology should also realize other more general benefits such as:

• Reinforcing country-specific accountability and ownership
• Facilitating institutional and individual lesson learning
• Fostering team building
• Strengthening partnerships
• Promoting understanding among stakeholders
• Increasing the likelihood of defining SMART objectives
• Informing project-related decisions
• Providing the starting point for further monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment work.

Stakeholder participation and ownership is a particularly crucial part of the overall project and the baseline survey gives the country-specific EPN members group and the CHSs an exciting initial opportunity to increase co-operation, participation, and local ownership.

Furthermore, Phase 1 will:

• Increase the development of knowledge and skills, from project design to context analysis
• Begin to create social change by allowing for the promotion of, defence of, or opposition to specific programmes, actions, or policies.

Baseline methodology

The methodology used to carry out the baseline survey has been successfully applied by a number of international agencies, including DFID and IFRC. This has also proved useful in EPN’s own Drug Supply Organization Study where, by forming an overall team consisting of a consultant from each country, the work was carried out with in-country knowledge as well as capacity raising. Using an international consultant to lead the team provides for training of the in-country consultants, assures the quality of results, and brings international analysis and communications to the project. Although team members only carry out the work in their own country, their shared experience not only provides mutual support but a replicable methodology for other countries.

This replicable methodology reduces costs for further countries as the baseline manual can be followed in the future.

1. Preparation:
• Six countries will be chosen for the initial work (Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, Togo, Cameroon, and Tanzania).
• A country team member will be identified in each country.
• Draft baseline manual will be prepared, including tools such as subject-specific surveys, etc.
• Baseline survey training for each of the six in-country team members (three-day meeting).
• Second draft of manual confirmed following the meeting
• Access research tool - Part 1 [.doc 274KB] [.pdf 141KB]
• Access research tool - Part 2 [.doc 514KB] [.pdf 320KB]
• Access research tool - Part 3 [.doc 152KB] [.pdf 105KB]
2. In each country, the following activities will take place:
• Guided desk review tool (electronic Word form) [.doc 134KB] [.pdf 42KB]
• Informants workshop
• Survey of church-related health services (CHSs) tool (electronic Word form) [.doc 184KB] [.pdf 59KB]
• Survey of drug supply organizations (DSOs) tool (electronic Word form) [.doc 128KB] [.pdf 42KB]
• Chase-up and visits
• Analysis
• Drafting of report.
3. Central editing and review of country reports.
4. Drawing together an overall report.
5. Baseline reporting and lesson learning regional meeting.
6. Finalization of baseline report with lessons learnt.

Communication of results

1. Country-specific report dissemination to key stakeholders in country.
• Promotion of web accessible version of the report.
2. Overall analysis and drawing together of the report for dissemination to donors and international audiences.