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Learn about the urgent need to improve reproductive health supplies in West Africa, with high maternal and infant mortality rates. Discover recommendations for sustainable financing, logistics improvement, and more.
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Reproductive Health Supplies in West AfricaUnmet NeedRealistic ExpectationsThe Sub-Region’s Call to Action Dr. Kabba Joiner Director General West African Health Organization (WAHO) Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition 11-12 November 2004
Background – West African Health Status • High Maternal Mortality(1,100 per 100,000 live births) • High Infant Mortality (99 per 1,000 live births) • Low CPR (14%) • High Unmet Need (25%) Sources: Women of Our World 2002, Population Reference Bureau, Demographic and Health Surveys (various countries), State of World Population 2003, UNFPA, UNAIDS 2002.
Background – Contraceptive Insecurity in West Africa Source: John Snow, Inc./DELIVER and The Futures Group International/POLICY Project. 2003. Contraceptive Security Index 2003: A Tool for Priority Setting and Planning.
The Sub-region’s Response • 2003 • ECOWAS Health Ministers ask WAHO and partners to explore sub-regional options to improve reproductive health commodity security • Sustainable financing • Pooled procurement • Improved logistics • Private sector expansion • 2004 • Ministers call on WAHO, Member States, and partners to take specific actions to improve reproductive health commodity security • Ministers adopt WAHO strategy to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality • Ministers endorse Africa regional strategy to reposition family planning
Health Ministers’ Recommendations • ECOWAS Members States should introduce a budgetary line for family planning in their national budgets. • Member States should implement “informed buying” to support country procurement of reproductive health commodities, with technical support from WAHO and partners. • WAHO should convene a meeting of donors to mobilize resources for reproductive health commodity security. • WAHO and partners should prepare a sub-regional commodity security strategic plan.
So …. • Commitment to reproductive health commodity security is growing from within the sub-region • But, donor resources are declining relative to the challenge • How, then, can the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition support this commitment?
What can the Coalition and its Members DO? • Support WAHO to convene donors and partners in the sub-region • Increase and sustain assistance to ECOWAS Member States for contraceptives and other reproductive health supplies • At the same time, work with Member States to introduce and fund budget lines for reproductive health commodities and to transition from donor support • Use the comparative advantages of coalition members to strengthen planning and coordination for strategic allocation of resources • Provide technical support for development of “informed buying” by Member States • Help strengthen WAHO’s leadership for reproductive health commodity security through donor coordination, advocacy, monitoring • Provide technical support to WAHO to develop a sub-regional strategy for reproductive health commodity security
