In principle, the term “RH supplies” refers to any material or consumable needed to provide reproductive health (RH) services. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to contraceptives for family planning, drugs to treat sexually transmitted infections, and equipment such as that used for safe delivery.
Though definitions such as this can be helpful at a conceptual level, they are often less so when it comes to translating ideas into action. For that reason, more specialized definitions have been formulated, particularly in response to the requirements of specific programmes or health initiatives. One of these is WHO's Interagency List of Essential Medicines for Reproductive Health (2006), which reflects the current international consensus on what are considered to be essential medicines for the provision of quality RH services. Because the list prioritizes medicines believed to address the most pressing public health problems, it is by definition, selective. Nonetheless, it does include a broad range of contraceptives, drugs to prevent and treat STIs and HIV/AIDs, and medicines to ensure healthy pregnancy and delivery. The Interagency List is a subset of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, updated every two years since 1977. The 15th edition of the Essentials Medicines List (EML) was last published in 2007.
Often, however, countries will formulate their own lists of essential RH supplies, based on local needs and other programmatic factors. To assist them in this process, Coalition partners World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population FUnd (UNFPA), and PATH published the Essential Medicines for Reproductive Health: Guiding Principles for their inclusion on National Medicines Lists. The publication provides background on the EML process and information on the importance of including RH medicines on national EMLs. It is intended to be used by RH programme managers, national-level essential medicines committees, and those responsible for selecting, procuring, and ensuring the quality of RH medicines.
