This 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:
“Whatever [work] your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” Ecclesiastes 9:10
This edition includes:
Pan African experts meeting on access to and rational use of medicines
Drug Supply Organizations' (DSO) Training of Trainers workshop
Meeting on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health
BUFMAR holds training on new malaria treatment
CBCHB HIV and AIDS Programme serves as regional model
Media workers and health providers' workshop
Appeal to EPN members
Pan African experts meeting on access to and rational use of medicines
EPN in collaboration with its partner Health Action International (HAI) – Africa, hosted a pan African Expert meeting on Access to and Rational Use of Essential Medicines on 14th and 15th November 2007. The meeting whose them was: “Saving lives and saving money; Making Access to and Rational Use of Medicines a Priority” was held at the hotel La Mada in Nairobi, Kenya.
The main purpose of the meeting was to evaluate the progress made in access to and rational use of medicines since the development of the essential medicines concept 30 years ago. The participants of the meeting who were members of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Faith-based organizations (FBOs) also took the opportunity to forge links and generate ideas on partnerships to ensure access to and rational use of medicines.
Key topics discussed during the meeting included the ethical implications of advertising and promotion of medicines, compliance and adherence of medicines, the impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on access to medicines, procurement of medicines, how to communicate the rational use of medicines (RUM) message and how to develop medicines that meet the needs of children.
Recommendations made at the meeting included the need to develop medicines for children and involve them in the formulation process, the importance of documentation and dissemination of best practices and lessons learnt in medicine issues and the importance of educating consumers on medicine use.
While appreciating that a lot has been done in the last 30 years, it was agreed that there is a need for all concerned in medicines issues to move from theory and policy formulation to active participation in implementing these policies especially at country and community level. The implementation of the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on Rational Use of Medicines (RUM) was seen as a priority. The resolution can be viewed at: http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA60/A60_R16-en.pdf. The involvement and support of governments and the World Health Organization (WHO) at all levels was encouraged and appreciated.
Drug Supply Organizations’ Training of Trainers workshop
The Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network organized a three day Training of Trainers workshop on Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for its members from Drug Supply Organizations (DSO) from 1st – 3rd October in Nairobi, Kenya. The purpose of the workshop was to strengthen the training capacity of the participants on how to develop effective SOPs in DSOs and Church Health Institutions (CHIs). The participants were later expected to successfully facilitate SOP training courses in their respective countries. Nine participants from Joint Medical Stores (JMS), Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS), Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) and, Mission for Essential Medical Supplies (MEMS) actively participated in the workshop which they termed “well organized”, “informative” and “an eye-opener.”
At the end of the training, the participants had identified and could develop an SOP for a prioritized area in their organizations. They had also developed tentative plans for the training of CHIs.
Meeting on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Health
The EPN administrator and networking programme officer attended the African Civil Society meeting on the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on Intellectual Property (IP), Innovation and Health which was held on 28th and 29th August 2007 in Nairobi. IGWG was established under the World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 59.24 and tasked to draw up a global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation, essential health research and IP rights on access to essential medicines for diseases specifically found in developing countries.
The primary purpose of this meeting was to develop an African civil society position for submission to the IGWG on public health, innovation and IP. During the meeting a statement was drafted to be presented to the African Ministers of Health meeting held in September in Brazzaville, Congo, and for presentation to other forums. The statement included the challenges identified that affect the health situation in Africa such as patent protection and high prices of medicines, a lack of innovation for medicines for many of the diseases prevalent in African countries and the fact that majority of the population cannot access the medicines they need.
The discussions on IGWG continued with a meeting from 5th – 9th November 2007 in Geneva. Details of this meeting will be made available in the December 2007 Netlink newsletter.
BUFMAR holds training on new malaria treatment
EPN member in Rwanda BUFMAR in collaboration with the National Control Program of Paludisme (NPCP) organized a training session in the use of Coartem as a new treatment for malaria. Coartem is a combination based drug of Lumefantrine and Artemisinine. The session was held from 26th to 28th September 2007 and included representatives from 11 health centers which are members of BUFMAR.
BUFMAR organizes quarterly re-training sessions for the benefit of its members on various health topics.
CBCHB HIV and AIDS programme serves as regional role model
The HIV and AIDS Care and prevention programme of EPN member Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board (CBCHB) has won accolades for its exemplary services. The programme, which offers services to over 6 million people in six of Cameroon’s ten provinces, includes a private training school for health personnel, a prevention of mother to child HIV transmission program and pharmaceutical production and distribution services. CBCHB began by offering education in HIV and AIDS in 1999 and in 2004 was selected as the West Africa Region (AWARE) Regional Training Center by USAID. Further details are available at: http://www.ccih.org/bulletin/1007.htm#4
Media workers and health providers’ workshop
On 31st October 2007, media workers and health providers based in Nairobi, Kenya held a workshop to discuss how best they can work together to provide accurate information to the public in regards to health.
The workshop, which was attended by the EPN communication officer, highlighted various issues including the importance of capacity building for journalists to empower them to report on health issues, the delicate balance of ethics and confidentiality for both professions and the effective use of photographs in media. The health professionals were urged to avoid using technical terms which made it difficult for the journalists to give comprehensive messages, while the media workers were requested to avoid sensationalizing stories irrespective of the serious issues they highlighted.
The participants at the workshop included journalists from local media houses, communication officers from different organizations, trainers in media work, doctors, pharmacists and surgeons. Key recommendations given by the participants included the need for training and collaboration between members of the two professions. At the end of the workshop a task force was formed to follow up on the recommendations given and give a plan on the way forward.
Appeal to EPN members
Over the last several months contributions to the Netlink newsletter, which is published once every two months, have dwindled considerably. This has left the newsletter with barely enough content for each edition. Appreciating the fact that all members have very busy schedules, the editor of the newsletter would like to request EPN members to make a concerted effort to regularly contribute content for the newsletter. The contributions should mainly be of activities that have taken place within your organizations. Remember that this is YOUR newsletter. Use it to reach other members, to share experiences and to learn from each other!
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