Market Development Approaches Working Group
Due to
scheduling conflicts, only five members of the MDA WG were able to attend
the group’s half-day working session in London. But the small size did not
prevent them from engaging in a frank and fruitful discussion, particularly
on the future direction of the group itself.
“Demand”
once again figured prominently among the WG’s topics of discussion. Earlier,
WG Chair Ben Light circulated a think-piece on the subject and its
relevance to supply security and the Coalition’s work generally. Though
members agreed that demand was a key concept for much of the
Coalition’s work, they asked for greater clarification on the
subject, and for a better understanding of the ways the MDA WG could add
value to it.
Surely, the
most notable achievement of the meeting was agreement on the future
strategic direction of the MDA WG. Members acknowledged the fact that the
group is, in many ways, markedly different from the other WGs. It more
heterogeneous and lacks a systematic internal access to funds that permits
it to move ahead with its own independent priorities. These factors have
hampered the development of its workplan, and contributed to the lack of
progress on the MDA Evaluation and Country Typology.
Given these considerations, the WG has
decided to limit the scope of its activities to those already being
undertaken by member institutions. It also envisions a scope of work focused,
at least for the time being, on the issue of generics: from active
pharmaceutical ingredients to the end user (manufacturing,
prequalification, regulation, procurement, and distribution).
Resource Mobilization and Awareness Working Group
On
Wednesday, April 25, a joint meeting of the RMA WG and Gates–funded
Project RMA yielded a number of important decisions, including the
identification of Burkina Faso
and Uganda
as focus countries for working group activities. They agreed to meet again
in June by teleconference to select the first of up to four additional
countries. To help inform the process, they are constructing a matrix of
partner actions that will include such items as IPPF’s work to
establish NGO advocacy coalitions and DSW’s work with regional
networks.
In addition
to the identification of focus countries, five regional Network NGOs have
been awarded small grants to explore the issue of reproductive health supplies
among their member organizations. Adoption of the supply issue by these
NGOs has the potential for considerable impact insofar as each has access
to many civil society groups.
And with
Phase I of the Istanbul Country studies nearly complete, the WG announced
that Phase II will include a comprehensive assessment of civil society in
each country. During the WG meeting, members discussed the process for
developing the methodology for this work.
Finally, Tanvi Pandit-Rajani of HPI
Project/Constella Futures introduced portions of the USAID-funded draft
Advocacy Toolkit. The RMA WG announced that it will be soliciting feedback
from other WGs on selected sections of the toolkit. Included within the
toolkit is a resource databank that will eventually be posted on the Coalition
website. The group hopes to roll out the completed toolkit at the October
membership meeting.
Systems Strengthening Working Group
On
Wednesday, April 25, members of the SSWG met to discuss a host of
activities being conducted under their auspices:
Reproductive Health Interchange (RHI). Representing
the RHI, Mimi Whitehouse noted that use of the RHI database/website has
increased over the past few months. She also discussed plans to expand the
number of data sources on the RHI, including Crown Agents procurements and,
thanks to their introduction of a new computerized tracking system, data
from PSI. Finally, Mimi reported that the RHI Management group would soon
be visiting five countries to obtain feedback on the RH Interchange from donors,
and health and program managers. The five countries include Ethiopia, Ghana,
Rwanda, Guatemala and Honduras.
One-Stop Source. During the SSWG
meeting, participants offered input and insight into the construction of a
“one-stop” data source for country-level supplies information. To
be housed on the Coalition’s new website, the new data base will
assemble in one place, supplies-related information sources such as DHS
surveys, national health accounts, the contraceptive security index,
SPARHCS and logistics system assessments, and family planning effort scores
Tool Inventory. Members of the
SSWG have agreed on the need for an inventory of existing software tools on
all aspects of supply chain management. The inventory would facilitate
comparisons among tools, as well as provide a basis for assessing their
relative strengths and capabilities. At present, a scope of work is being
prepared for an independent consultant who could undertake this work.
Countries at Risk
Group (CAR). The CAR has adopted a new,
expanded format for collecting country-level supply information provided by
USAID|DELIVER. This format will detail stock status by program and product,
and provide information relating to policy, financing, donor coordination,
and other issues. Hopes are that data from the UNFPA’s CCM program
will also be made available in summary form for use by the group.
Minimum Volume Guarantee/Pledge Guarantee (MVG/PG). Since
last December, the SSWG has focused its efforts on fine-tuning the MVG/PG
mechanism(s) and determining the parameters of a meaningful field test. A
revised TOR was prepared by Alan Bornbusch (USAID) and KfW consultant
Sandra Rolet and submitted to SSWG members for review prior to the spring
membership meeting.
In London,
Alan Bornbusch expressed his view that MVG/PG preparation had reached a
stage where further steps would be carried out more efficiently through a
smaller dedicated committee. The SSWG endorsed the proposal and a small
MVG/PG Committee was formed of potential stakeholders/contributors to the
mechanism: KfW, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, DFID, the Dutch
Government, the World Bank, and UNFPA, with USAID as an observer. At the
Committee’s first meeting on the afternoon of April 26, Wolfgang
Bichmann agreed to spearhead the effort with the support of a consultant. The
Committee will now finalize the TOR and get the design team on board.
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