FORMATION OF THE GHANA MeTA CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK : AN OVERVIEW

1. FORMATION OF THE GHANA MeTA CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK :AN OVERVIEW 1Allotey. C; 2 Ahiabu. R.K.A; 3 Ntoso. R.Y; 4 Azumah. S.K; 5 Andoh.I 1,5. Health Access Network, han.ghana@gmail.com, kallotey@gmail.com 2. DeSMAS, eldesmas@yahoo.com / ralphahiabu@yahoo.co.uk 3. Drama Network, dramantwrk1@yahoo.com 4. Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights, arhr@myzipnet.com

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A network of civil society organizations has been established across the 10 regions of Ghana to work in Medicines transparency issues. An initial carefully selected 2 organizations each from each region were taken through a capacity building workshop. These were then charged with the responsibility to recruit additional organizations in their respective regions. There were zonal capacity building workshops for recruited organizations after which regional sensitization activities were held to bring on board community and district persons to collectively engage in the process to achieve the objectives of MeTA. Currently there are over 100 NGOs and several community based organizations with some district officials as members.

3. BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES The pharmaceutical sector and the complex nature of the supply chain is not well understood by majority of the population. Civil society organizations (CSOs) activities in Ghana had over recent years evolved around health, women, children, governance and other socio-political issues with limited focus on medicines. There was therefore the need to initiate the formation of a well coordinated nationwide network of CSOs to engage meaningfully in medicine related issues.

4. Summary Approach to Network Building Approach: Cascading capacity to build a nationwide network. Seven Ghanaian civil society representatives who attended the MeTA CSO training in Uganda in early 2008 formed the national coordinating mechanism (organizing committee) that steered the affairs of the CSO activities at the national level. Two NGOs from each region were identified to participate in an inaugural capacity building workshop. In all 22 credible NGO representatives were identified and trained, and these core members have regrouped to co-ordinate across geographical zones (Northern, Middle and Southern).

5. Summary Approach to Network Building As the tiered structure evolved, the zonal co-ordinators recruited other organizations to the MeTA civil society network, then organized and led training for these regional recruits. In this way, capacity has cascaded through the network: from the organizing committee to the core group of zonal co-ordinators, and from them to regional CSOs and other local organizations. Regional network members are now engaged in sensitizing community-based organizations using educational materials (see other poster)."

6. STRUCTURE MEDIA REPS NATIONAL COORDINATING MECHANISM • 3 ZONAL GROUPS • Northern Zone • Middle Zone • Southern Zone CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN 10 REGIONS

7. MEDIA REPS DISTRICT AND MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLIES COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS WOMEN’S GROUPS YOUTH GROUPS MEN’S GROUP STRUCTURE

8. KEY OBJECTIVE & ACHIEVEMENT OF NATIONAL WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE • To build core capacity on medicines issues nationwide by identifying at least two NGOs from each region to participate in the training of trainers (TOT) workshop ACHIEVEMENT • NGOs representatives across the 10 regions trained and equip with knowledge on medicine and transparency issues

9. PARTICIPANTS AT NATIONAL WORKSHOP WITH SOME FACILITATORS

10. OBJECTIVES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF ZONAL TRAININGS OBJECTIVES • To increase NGO participation at regional and district levels across the country • To create awareness on medicine and transparency issues among the general populaces through the involvement of media participation ACHIEVEMENTS • NGO participation increased from the initial 2 trained to 10 NGOs in each of the 10 regions in Ghana • Awareness created among the general population on the emerging network of CSOs working in medicine and transparency issues.

12. OBJECTIVES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF GHANA MeTA CSO LAUNCH OBJECTIVES • To inaugurate the Ghana MeTA CSO group • To launch Four (4) posters developed by the group in English and seven (7)other local languages • To create public awareness on Medicine and Transparency issues ACHIEVEMENTS • Over 450 people including chiefs, market women, decentralized agencies, NGOs and religious organizations participated in the inauguration. • High media coverage and reportage. • The inauguration and the launch of the posters generated high interest on medicine issues among participants leading to their willingness to disseminate the posters.

13. National/Regional Representatives With Resource Persons At The Launch

14. Ning Social Network

15. CONCLUSIONS • 104 NGOs and several community based organizations with district officials engaged through the network. • High interest shown by network members in integrating MeTA issues in their ongoing programs • There is the need to sustain the high interest shown through the provision of small grants and resources for MeTACSO activities in Ghana • Linkages with district officials , community based organizations and consumer groups in two of the 10 regions • Build more linkages to cover the remaining 8 regions and then actively engage other stakeholders in medicine and transparency issues across the country

16. GENERAL LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS • The establishment of a national coordinating mechanism and structure to facilitate the work of the network • Established good criteria to aid the selection of NGOs • Decentralized approach to selection and training of zonal and regional (province) NGO representatives • Establishment of good communication mechanism to facilitate information flow among network members