Publications Netlink Netlink - May 2010
| Netlink - May 2010 |
|
Netlink is a bi- monthly email newsletter of the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN). Its purpose is to keep EPN members in touch and updated on what is going on within the Network. This and previous editions of Netlink are available at http://www.epnetwork.org/Netlink ConscientiousnessThere is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. EPN hosts its biennial forumFrom 18th to 20th March 2010, EPN hosted its members and stakeholders to its biennial forum held in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme for this year's EPN Forum was Health System Strengthening: Focus on Pharmaceutical Service Delivery.
Major activities that took place during the forum included the launch of the EPN’s 2010-2015 strategic plan document. The document highlights priority areas that EPN will address over the strategic plan period as follows: 1. Access to and rational use of medicines, 2. HIV and AIDS treatment, 3. Professionalization of pharmaceutical services, 4. Pharmaceutical Information sharing. EPN website www.epnetwork.org launched In addition to the strategic plan document, EPN launched its new website that has new exciting features that include: user-friendly, interactive, accurate, useful and comprehensive information on pharmaceutical services which is continuously updated. The website also contains newsletters, downloads and external links, information about EPN members, partners and the associates, an interactive segment of polls, forums and news on activities and a multimedia section that has a photo gallery, audio and video files. We wish to apologize for the fact the EPN website has been offline for a number of weeks, due to some serious technical problems. We have been able to relaunch it and will soon also be further updating the content. Karen Sichinga of CHAZ appointed to the EPN boardKaren Sichinga, Executive Director of CHAZ, has been appointed to the EPN board. Her appointment as a new board member to represent Christian Health Associations was necessary since Francis Gondwe of CHAM, Malawi who represented this position resigned from the board in May 2009.
Mrs Sichinga’s appointment to the board was endorsed during the members’ general meeting on the 19th of March 2010 in Nairobi. She brings on board a wealth of skills and experience that will benefit the network. Mrs Sichinga is a professional nurse and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, Canada and a Masters from Leeds University, England. She is currently the Executive Director of Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ), made up of 135 affiliates representing 16 different churches both Catholic and protestant, with a majority of them based in rural areas of Zambia. Altogether, these institutions are responsible for over 50% of formal health services in the rural areas of Zambia and about 30% of health care in the country as a whole. EPN launches an HIV and AIDS treatment literacy guide for church leadersEcumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) has published an HIV and AIDS Treatment Literacy Guide for Church Leaders. The 132 page book provides powerful insights on how church leaders can take up advocacy issues in matters of antiretroviral treatment - which are a life prolonging intervention for people living with HIV - and to deal with stigma and discrimination in the church.Retired Archbishop Dr. Benjamin Nzimbi of the Anglican Church of Kenya, who officiated at the function held during the 2010 EPN Forum in Nairobi, Kenya on 18th -19th March 2010, reiterated the fact that the issue of HIV and AIDS continued to be a taboo subject especially in the church and added that most church leaders were still ignorant on the matters of HIV and AIDS care and treatment. He commended the book as a must read for every church leader who wants to address the issue of stigma and discrimination in the church and know how to care for those infected and affected by the disease. He also said that church leaders need to understand the issues of faith healing, stating that many church leaders have led many people into stopping their ARV treatment. The guide is available both in French and English. For more information about this book, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Member profile - MEDSIn this edition of Netlink, we feature Mission for Essential Medicines and Supplies (MEDS). MEDS is a member organisation of EPN based in Kenya that supplies pharmaceutical commodities to mission hospitals in Kenya and other countries in the region. The focus will be its experience in partnerships for pharmaceutical service delivery. Read the whole article attached. Regional meeting on consolidating action on antimicrobial resistanceThe meeting is part of the follow up activities to the AMR campaign - Fight AMR Save medicines for our children - aimed at raising awareness on and mobilizing action to address the significant global problem of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and took place on the 5th- 7th May this year in Nairobi, Kenya. It has successfully provided a forum for professionals to share the work that has been done over the last year and to discuss how to consolidate these actions and move the EPN response to AMR to a higher level. Visit our website for more information about the campaign http://www.epnetwork.org/CHAK holds its annual conference and general meetingChristian Health Association of Kenya on the 20th -22nd April, 2010, Nairobi, held its annual Conference and General Meeting for over 300 members of CHAK that comprise of protestant-run health centres and dispensaries. The theme of the conference was Memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Government; enhancing partnership for health. Check the website later for more information about the event. Global Fund Round 10 - significant opportunity for HRH/HSS investmentsThe launch of the next round of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria nears, and with it, a significant opportunity to secure additional funding for human resources for health (HRH) and other system-wide health system strengthening (HSS) activities. The launch is expected in May 2010. 2010 Course Rational Management of Medicines - focus on HIV, TB, MalariaDifaem, an EPN member and partner organization in Germany, is offering 3 scholarships to EPN members to attend the Swiss Tropical Institute course on Rational Management of medicines to be held in Pretoria, South Africa, from 1st to 12th November 2010.Interested members should submit an application in writing including a justification of not less than 300 words on why the scholarship should be awarded to them and how it will benefit their organization and the communities served. A confirmation from a relevant authority in the organization that the individual’s application is supported and that the organization will pay for the ticket is also required. These applications should reach the EPN secretariat by 15th June 2010 to facilitate processing in time for the successful individuals to apply to Swiss Tropical Institute before their own deadline which is 31st August 2010. Member profilesWe are currently updating our members’ database. We therefore kindly ask all members to fill in a new membership form with their current information. A form has been sent to you by e-mail and can also be downloaded from our website. |
Profile MEDS (