Working in pilot low and middle income countries, the Project RMA seeks to improve political and financial support for reproductive health (RH) supplies.
More specifically, at country level we are looking to achieve the following:
- A strong, functioning coordination mechanism for RH supplies in the country with appropriate representation and decision making power;
- The inclusion of a range of RH Supplies on the National Essential Drugs List and the use of that list to improve the availability of supplies;
- The existence, funding and use of a Government Budget Line for RH Supplies;
- Meaningful consideration and integration of RH Supply issues into financing processes, in particular into new financing mechanisms such as Direct Budget Support, Poverty Reduction Strategies, and Country Strategy Papers.
The International Planned Parenthood Federation works in 6 focus countries to provide advocacy resources for reproductive health supplies on the country level. The six focus countries are Bangladesh, Ghana, Mexico, Nicaragua, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Countries were selected in a collaborative effort, based on need and readiness for supply advocacy, existence of civil society networks and convergence of other complementary work on the supply issue undertaken by other Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition members, partners and working group initiatives. The United Nations Population Fund's Global Programme to Enhance RH Commodity Security developed a Dashboard of Indicators that the Project used in selection as well.
IPPF brings together various stakeholders within the country to bring RH supplies issues to the attention of key decision makers within that country. A national secretariat coordinates the collection of RH supplies baseline data, mapping processes for budgets and finance mechanisms, and getting RH supplies on the national essential drugs list. Also, IPPF helps each country to develop a collaborative advocacy agenda, a plan of action, and tailored messages for nationally-led communications strategies.
Country level advocacy in action - Project RMA's county level advocacy work in Ghana and Uganda has received notable press coverage in recent months:
- Uganda drugs shortages: Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) work with the media to raise awareness of the impact of shortages of RH supplies
- Uganda condoms: Ugandan parliamentarians, in collaboration with RHU, raise awareness about the importance of female and male condoms
- Ghana Project RMA launch: Coverage of the launch of Project RMA in Accra. Additional article on the first civil society meeting to launch a campaign for the inclusion of family planning in Ghana's National Health Insurance scheme.
- Ghana's First Lady and Project RMA: Ghanaian First Lady Theresa Kufuor launches Project RMA in support of the inclusion of family planning in the National Health Insurance scheme
- Project RMA subgrantee in action: The Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana urges governmental support for reproductive health and RH supplies at the district level
