EPN is committed to ensuring access to quality and affordable medicines in the Church health system, this being the backbone of its strategic and technical focus areas. We reach the last mile health care facilities by strengthening their pharmaceutical services and building capacities of key staff.
In January, EPN hosted a team from USAID Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) Program who paid a courtesy call at the EPN secretariat offices. PQM+ is a program that aims to support low- and middle-income countries strengthen the regulatory systems that ensure the quality of medicines along the value chain, from manufacturing.
This visit was an opportunity to discuss various opportunities that would tighten our collaboration, one of them being the commitment of PQM+ Program to supporting the upcoming EPN Forum 2024. Led by Dr. Jude Nwokike, the Vice President of USP/PQM + Program, the team were optimistic about the possible activities that would promote quality and make an impact to communities within and beyond EPN network. Other key interests were on the East African Pooled Procurement and the Minilab and how these interventions can be leveraged to promote access to quality medicines in the region.
FBOs complement the government and private sector and are very key as over 40% of healthcare is in church health systems. Inclusion of faith-based organisation has been an ongoing discussion.
