Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) Operationalizes its 2008 – 2012 Strategic Plan

It will be recalled that soon after it’s founding as a South-South Initiative to promote RH, Population and Development, EARHN undertook to formulate its first Strategic Plan in the year 2000 for the period 2001 – 2005.

With changing global, regional and national RH environment, EARHN sought to review its strategic directions in order to align itself with the changing paradigm as well as positioning itself to achieve the ICPD PoA and the MDGs. In this regard, in December 2007, PPD ARO together with the partners including DSW as well as Population Action International and RH Supplies Coalition supported and facilitated EARHN to develop a new Strategic Plan to guide its work for the period 2008 – 2012.

A Group Photo of Participants during workshop on operationalisation of the Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) Strategic Plan, 2008 - 2012

Subsequently, PPD ARO supported EARHN to hold a follow up meeting on March 14, 2008 at Protea Hotel, Kampala, to review the country specific work plans in the context of how individual member countries would operationalize the Strategic Plan. The meeting brought together representatives from Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa and Uganda. Invitation was extended to South Africa to learn and share experiences on what EARHN is doing as they prepare to coordinate the establishment of a SADC based RH Advocacy Network. Also present were representatives from DSW Uganda and the media. Highlights of EARHN Strategic Plan, member country 2008 Annual Work Plans and the role of PPD ARO in regional networks were presented.

The presentations generated a number of issues for discussion and the following recommendations were made.

1. Member countries would revise the work plans and submit them to PPD Africa Regional Office. Rwanda and Burundi were also to be contacted and requested to develop 2008 work plans so that all countries get to the same level of implementation of the EARHN Strategic Plan.
2. Country specific newsletters would be shared amongst member countries electronically and the EARHN newsletter developed on a bi-annual basis for information sharing. A specific theme will be generated for each newsletter.
3. The country specific activities would be hinged to the international declarations such as the ICPD, MDGs and Maputo Plan of Action for implementation at the local level. National declarations, such as the country specific road maps to accelerate the reduction of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality also be considered and PPD ARO support the operationalisation of these road maps at country level.
4. The job description of EARHN focal persons be reviewed/adopted in consultation with the employing agency and also nominate deputy focal persons for all EARHN member countries to promote continuity.
5. PPD ARO will commission a consultancy to document best practices and lessons in reproductive health, population and development in the region so that countries start organizing and participating in learning and experience sharing trips as well as study visits and exchanges.

Advocacy among Parliamentarians

One of the most important strategies of PPD is to work with the parliamentarians to achieve its goals by bringing about positive transformations in the legislation and policy formulation as well as in the socio-political and cultural arena. As all of us are aware, Parliamentarians command considerable authority in legislation and policy formation while being deeply entranced in socio-political and cultural set-up of the countries, thus bridging between the leadership and people. Commitment of politicians to the ICPD Goals and MDGs as well as other emerging challenges in health, population and sustainable development is vital in addressing them successfully.

H.E. Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of Health Malaysia
delivering Opening Speech in the meeting

PPD Executive Director Mr. Harry Jooseery took the privilege of his participation in the 24th Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting on Population & Development organized by AFPPD in Kuala Lumpur from 26-28 April 2008 to conduct extensive advocacy and networking campaign among the parliamentarians, many of whom were from PPD’s Asian member states. Many of the parliamentarians were convinced that South-South Cooperation is the most important modality to address these challenges and achieve the desired goals.

Consultative Meeting of Experts and Member of International Programme Advisory Committee (IPAC) on Strategic Programme Development

PPD has a new Strategic Business Plan (SBP) for (2008-2011) which was developed after a long process of consultations with Board Members, Partners Country Coordinators (PCCs), international experts and stakeholders. This SBP was discussed and approved at the PPD Board Meeting held in Rabat, Morocco in November 2007. For the implementation of the SBP, in collaboration with the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Government of Thailand, PPD organized a three-day Consultative Meeting of Experts to identify specific area of programme interventions and avenues for their implementation. The meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand, between 17th and 19th April 2008 in conjunction with PPD’s International Programme Advisory Committee (IPAC). Participants at the meeting included IPAC members, Representatives of Government of Kingdom of Thailand, Senior Governmental Officials from PPD member countries (MC), Prominent Scholars and Experts in the field of RH, Population and Development as well as Staff from PPD’s Secretariat, China Office and Africa Regional Office (ARO). Representatives of Donor Agencies, Partner Institutions (PIs), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) also attended the Consultative Meeting.

Opening Session of the workshop was graced by Dr. Siripon Kanshana Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, Government of Thailand and Representative of PPD Board Member for Thailand, Mr. G. Giridhar, CST Director and UNFPA Representative, Thailand, Dr. Nantha Auamkul, Additional Director-General, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Government of Thailand, Dr. Sopon Mekthon, Deputy Director General, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Government of Thailand and Mr. Harry S. Jooseery, Executive Director of PPD. Dr Sopon Mekthon, proudly reiterated the Government of Thailand’s support to PPD, and pledged for a reinforced partnership in addressing Population and Family/Reproductive Health issues worldwide, in a context of achieving ICPD and MDGs. Dr Mekthon focused also on the importance of addressing the issue of maternal and child health, and highlighted the achievements of Thailand in RH/FP programmes.

Opening Session of the Workshop

Mr. Jooseery in his speech appreciated Thailand’s commitment to South-South Cooperation and highlighted Thailand’s achievements in tackling the scourge of HIV/AIDS, integration of RH and FP programs into the national public health services and accelerating contraceptive prevalence rate through 100% condom program. Mr. Jooseery also emphasized that South-South Cooperation does not preclude any form of North-South Cooperation. Mentioning the sharp decline in the donor assistance to FP from 55% in 1985 to 16% in 2007, he warned that continuous dwindling assistance to FP will have disastrous effect, especially in developing countries where contraceptive use is the lowest in the world.

Following were the main issues discussed in the workshops:

1. Strategic Business Plan of PPD: Goals, Output and Activities;
2. Capacity Development Plan of PPD;
3. Human Resource Plan of PPD;
4. PPD’s Programme Priorities and Project Development;
5. Financial resources and donor commitments;
6. PPD’s visibility and sustainability;
7. Roles and responsibilities of IPAC.

Accelerated Momentum in South-South Cooperation Countries Commit Enhanced Technical and Financial Support to PPD

India:

Government of India reiterated its wide ranging supports to reinforce to PPD and intensify South-South collaboration among member states. India offered trainings in its premier institutions for capacity development of professionals from the member states, particularly from the African member states. India also offered specialized training in RH Commodity logistics management, an area in which India is privileged with comparative advantage. India also offered South-South Fellowships to the professionals from PPD Member States in its national institutes and asked PPD work out the modalities with the Indian institutions. India cordially invited PPD and other fellow member states to benefit from India’s cutting-edge information technology under South-South Cooperation mechanism.

Mr. Jooseery and Mr. Jyoti Singh, Permanent Observer to the UN are in discussion with Ms. Aradhana Johri, PCC of India

Moreover, Government of India also indicated that it is positively considering substantially increasing its annual membership contribution to PPD. An announcement in this connection might be released shortly. India made these commitments during the meeting of PPD Executive Director Mr. Harry Jooseery and PPD Permanent Observer to the United Nations Mr. Jyoti S. Singh with senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India on 15 April 2008 in New Delhi.

Thailand:

Government of Thailand renewed its firm commitment to the ideals of South-South Cooperation. Thailand is one of the member states who formally established a South-South Center to coordinate the South-South activities within the country and to liaise with PPD Secretariat and other member states. Thailand is considering offering fellowship to PPD in Chulalongkorn University and in the Mahidol University. Thailand is also willing to organize PPD’s technical and governance events.

Mr. Jooseery along with Mr. Singh met the Honourable Board Member of Thailand Mr. Narongsakdi Aungkasuvapala at his office

Thailand is ready to transfer its legendary success in tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS and its experience in the dramatic increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate in the country. Thailand has also agreed to increase its annual membership contribution as proposed by the PPD Executive Director in the last annual board meeting held in Rabat in November 2007. These were the outcome of the discussion between Thai Board Member Mr. Narongsakdi Aungkasuvapala and PPD Executive Director Mr. Harry Jooseery accompanied by PPD Permanent Observer to the United Nations Mr. Jyoti Singh.