EPN - Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network

Netlink is the members’ email newsletter for the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN). Netlink aims to help members keep in touch with what is going on in the Network. If you have any information to contribute or comments on the content, or if you would like to unsubscribe, subscribe or recommend someone to receive it, please contact info@epnetwork.org

First thought: “He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you in all your ways." Psalm 91: 11

News from Tanzania: Curriculum Review, Revolving Drug Fund Audit

Recently Marsha Maccata-Yambi from the Christian Social Services Commission (Tanzania) participated in the HIV/AIDS curriculum review for theological colleges and institutions in Tanzania. If anyone wants to know more about it then contact her on marsha@cssctz.co.tz.

The School of Pharmacy at Muhimbili is planning to develop a curriculum for ARVs and it will also approach graduates for TOT. CSSC will be one of the trainers for the church health institutions.

In the last few years, the CSSC has operationalized Revolving Drug Funds in 29 institutions and an audit will be conducted at the end of February 2004. Following the review, changes are expected, particularly, after the evaluation conducted in October 2003, where 15 out of the 29 were seen to perform well.

New E-Pharmalink Newsletter Launched

In response to calls for increased information and communications channels at the Geneva PAG, this newsletter, Netlink, and an electronic version of Pharmalink have been created. E-Pharmalink is a monthly newsletter, which aims to alert network members and pharmacists to information sources on international trends that are relevant to their work. It will also inform on opportunities that could support them in their efforts to provide effective and efficient services, particularly in poorer countries.

It summarises information reported by a wide range of publications or organisations and includes web links to the original sources. Please contact pharmalink@kclinfo.com if you have any information to contribute or comments on the content. Contact the same address to subscribe - anyone can subscribe, whether they are a member of EPN or not, and multiple recipients in the same organisation are all welcome.

Board Meeting

The EPN board meeting will be held from 7th February to 10^th February 2004 in Moshi, Tanzania. The agenda will include discussion on the annual report, including the audited financial report for 2003, the annual plan (2004), and a visit to St. Luke's Pharmacy School. We will report back in the next edition of Netlink.

A New way of describing our network

During discussion on our strategy, we updated our 'description'. While our intentions have not changed, we wanted to be clearer about how we describe ourselves - please feel free to use the following text whenever you get a chance to talk about EPN:

EPN is an independent, apolitical, non-profit Christian organisation that works in a context of increasing poverty and need for health services.  Our goal is to increase positive health outcomes through church-related pharmaceutical services. Our purpose is to increase the capacity of church-related pharmaceutical activities to provide effective and efficient services.

EPN's ultimate beneficiaries are in line with the Network's 'Health for All' ideal; however there is a specific emphasis on the poor and marginalised. The Network's intermediate beneficiaries are its members: church-related health services and their representatives.

We believe our Network is both a means of achieving impact and an end in itself. In view of our goal, EPN believes that the benefits of the network can be seen through members:

We value the 'Health for All' ideals, organisational integrity, a culture of lesson learning, and the benefits of networking based on mutual respect.

EPN works with a wide range of partners that support similar goals to that of the Network and include: inter-governmental organisations, non-government organisations, governments, the private and public health sectors, and other faith-based organisations.

The Network's primary methods are: research, advocacy, information sharing, and capacity building, implemented through country focal points (CFPs), country strategies, and a central support team.

Next Issue

—end—