Stop Stock-outs Campaign in Uganda

1. Stop Stock-outs Campaign in Uganda Kibira Denis (MPS) HEPS-UGANDA 25th March 2010

2. Outline of discussion • Background • Methods/activities • Achievements

3. Background • A ‘stock-out’ is when a pharmacy temporarily has no medicine/s on the shelf. • This results into grave consequences for patients who may go without the medicines they need, seek alternative and sometimes inappropriate medicine or die. • The campaign to combat stock-outs is in five African countries –Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

4. Cont’d • In Uganda, according to the Pharmaceutical Situation Assessment-Level II-Health Facility Survey Report 2008 of Ministry of Health, only 45.7% public health facilities had a basket of 28 essential medicines. The duration of stock-outs in these facilities in 2007-8 averaged 2.5months per year • Medicines cost 3-5 times more than int. prices • The campaign is a civil society initiative to advocate for improved availability of, and access to, essential medicines in public health facilities

5. Methods/activities • CSO coalition • Partnerships with other stakeholders; MoH, Private sector through MeTA, MPs and local artists • Monitoring Medicines availability and price survey reports by MoH/WHO/HAI (HEPS) • Campaign IEC material • Press conferences, public rallies and fora, radio talk shows and Pill check campaigns • Community outreaches/road shows

6. Cont’d • Pill-check public campaigns

7. Achievements • Stop Stock-outs campaign has raised more awareness about the right to health and to access essential medicines in Uganda than ever before leading to wide media and public outcry • NMS responses to media articles • NMS granted financial and operational autonomy • President and other politicians have come out to publicly condemn stock outs • Creation of Drug Monitoring Unit

9. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!