AccessRH is a reproductive health procurement and information initiative that improves access to quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health (RH) commodities and reduces delivery times for low- and middle-income country government and NGOs partners. AccessRH also offers up-to-date information on contraceptive shipments for more than 140 countries worldwide through a website that is unique in the field.
Around the world, more than 215 million women lack access to basic contraception. When women and men seeking family planning are turned away because of contraceptive stockouts, they are unable to protect themselves from unintended pregnancies and HIV/AIDS.
The problems underlying such supply shortages include inadequate forecasting information, unpredictable funding streams, and long lead times for the production of certain contraceptives and medical supplies.
AccessRH was conceived of by the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition through a cooperative endeavor among global RH stakeholders to meet these challenges. UNFPA was asked to implement AccessRH and launched its first procurement services in February 2011, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the European Community, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and USAID.
To ensure reliable management of contraceptive supplies, information needs to be shared among decision makers across supply chain functions. A key feature of AccessRH is its internet portal, myAccessRH.org, which incorporates the RHInterchange, the first and only site to harmonize and consolidate data on global contraceptive orders. The data, shared by such stakeholders as IPPF, MSI, PSI, UNFPA and USAID, reflects more than US $1.6 billion of contraceptives for more than 140 countries. This public site allows ministries of health, NGOs, advocates and donors to access critical information for RH decision making and monitoring of current shipments. In 2011, reports, brochures, and/or graphs were downloaded 3,300 times by visitors to the site.
AccessRH enables clients to order multiple products offered by a variety of manufacturers at affordable prices pre-negotiated by UNFPA. With the launch of the myAccessRH.org web portal, UNFPA made its procurement catalog and prices available to the public for the first time. Visitors can also access UNFPA quality assurance policies and contact information for its quality assured suppliers.
To reduce wait times and minimize order volatility, AccessRH negotiates with its suppliers to hold stock of key products, thereby helping countries to prevent stockouts of critical RH supplies. In 2011, AccessRH handled 122 orders, worth over USD $11 million. Of those, 168 million condoms were shipped from stock, saving AccessRH clients an average of 10.4 weeks waiting time.
By continuously reaching out to RH stakeholders for feedback, AccessRH seeks to be responsive to procurement and information needs. New features planned for this year include:
- Online lead time and budget calculators
- Ability for clients to view order status online
- Enabling faster delivery for additional items
AccessRH efforts to support contraceptive security via a client-oriented service offering align closely with those of MDG 5 and speak to the promise of collaboration and information sharing among partners at strategic and operational, global and country levels.
If you have any questions regarding AccessRH or if you would like to provide input or feedback, please send an email to: accessrh(at)unfpa.org.
