Just like every year, and now the thirteenth year-round, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), in conjunction with the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) and partners, organized a two days meeting that took place on 28 and 29 October 2021. This is the second year that this meeting is organized in a hybrid fashion allowing parliamentarians in Uganda to attend physically, while participants from the rest of the continent and beyond participate virtually. This meeting was supported by the National Population Council (NPC) of Uganda, Population Action International (PAI), the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) and United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency (UNFPA). Participants were drawn from sixteen countries including; Benin, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, UK, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The meeting was preceded by a Pre-Conference on 27th October 2021 on the subjects of TB & Lung Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs in Sub-Saharan Africa focusing on Preventing Unsafe Abortion. The purely virtual PRE-NEAPACOH conference was supported by the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) in close partnership with the International Multidisciplinary Programme to address Lung Health & TB in Africa (IMPALA) and the Guttmacher Institute.

This second of its kind be organized virtually, the meeting was held under the general theme of ‘’Sustained Programs for the Achievement of ICPD Goals and the SDGs: Role of Parliamentarians’’. The proceedings were lauded by participants from the different countries for being well-organized and allowing the different parliaments to discuss, share progress and country experiences regarding implementation of the 2019 NEAPACOH country commitments and the “Kampala Call to Action” amidst the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Committee of Health Hon. Joel Ssebikaali presided over the proceedings of the first day while his counterpart from Lesotho, and equally chairperson of NEAPACOH, Hon. Fako Moshoeshoe presided over the second day’s deliberations.

Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance

Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Uganda and Minister of ICT and National Guidance gave the official opening remarks and recognized all dignitaries present including; the Vice-Chairperson of the Health Committee and session chair, Mr. Adnene Ben Haj Aissa, the Executive Director of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), Hon. Fako Moshoeshoe, the Chairperson NEAPACOH, Ms. Suzanne Mandang, UNFPA Uganda Country Representative a.i, Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the Director-General, National Population Council, Dr. Patrick Kadama, the Key Note Speaker, the Executive Director, African Institute for Development Policy, Dr. Eria Zulu, distinguished members of Parliament from the various countries participating, development partners, Civil Society Organizations and the media. Dr. Patrick Kadama delivered a keynote address on the topic of “Accelerating the achievement of the unfinished agenda of the ICPD and SDGs during and post COVID-19 Pandemic through South-South Cooperation”.

The meeting enabled participants from different countries across Africa to share their experiences as they fulfilled the 2019 NEAPACOH commitments. Parliamentarians shared challenges faced which was for the second year round, predominantly the novel Coronavirus pandemic that has impacted the different states greatly. The speakers shared other initiatives that countries may adopt in the fight against the pandemic such as community engagement. There was a general outcry on the increase in teenage pregnancies in most countries owing to the restrictions set due to the COVID 19 pandemic that set countries back even when they had made great strides to eliminate this.

L-R: Ms. Suzanne Mandong, UNFPA, Dr. J. Musinguzi, NPC, & Hon. J. Ssebikaali, MP

African Parliamentarians noted in concert and with deep concern that family planning and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health are among the most seriously affected essential health services by the COVID-19 pandemic; and with heightened sexual and gender-based violence. It was equally noted that sharing of experiences and innovative practices in the context of horizontal South-South Cooperation is needed more than ever before, in the achievement of the ICPD Program of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development during and post COVID-19 pandemic period.

A lot of country reporting and challenges faced resonated with the fact that over 6 million women in sub-Saharan Africa who have unintended pregnancies due to inability to access and use family planning resort to unsafe abortions, which lead to high disease burden and needless loss of life among girls and women.

The Parliament of Uganda applauded by the network for having fulfilled its long time commitment of passing a National Health Insurance scheme bill in March 2021. Uganda reported though that this bill was yet to be assented to by the country’s president in order to be enacted into law.

Delegates to this meetings committed to advocate for investments in young people with a focus on education especially for the girl-child, health, participation in decision making, skilling, job creation in view of harnessing the Demographic Dividend. They pledged to continue providing leadership and stewardship on policy, legislation and perform budgetary oversight for reproductive health and family planning as well as promoting and supporting mobilization and general awareness on reproductive health and family planning in the context of the implementation of the ICPD agenda.  Delegates from the Parliament of Burundi capped the meeting by giving a moving vote of thanks and applauding both organizers and participants to such a high-level convergence with concrete and educative experience sharing on common issues on the Continent.

Select Members of the committee of Health, Uganda Parliament

Find below the documents (Presentations and other resource links) from the meetings:

PRE-NEAPACOH CONFERENCE – 27th Oct. 2021

Pre-Conference program: French_&_English_PROGRAM_Pre-NEAPACOH_IMPALA & Guttmacher Meetings_Oct 27_Fin

TB and Lung Health 

1.  Keynote Speaker: IMPALA Rationale and Objectives- By Dr. Angela Obasi, Senior Clinical Lecturer, LSTM

2.  It’s not TB, what could it be-Post TB lung disease – Dr. Brenda Mungai, Ph.D. candidate, LSTM

3. Chronical Lung Diseases in Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania-Dr. Uzochukwu Egere, Postdoctoral Researcher,LSTM

Sexual and Reproductive Health 

5. Meeting Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs in Sub-Saharan Africa-Dr. Susheela Singh, Distinguished Scholar and Vice

NEAPACOH 2021 CONFERENCE – 28th -29th Oct. 2021

Conference program: ENG_&-FRENCH-NEAPACOH_PROGRAM_2021 – FINAL

Opening, Closing and Keynote addresses

1. Dr. Chris Baryomunisi: Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance (Uganda)

2.  OHon. Fako Moshoeshoe, Member of Parliament Lesotho, and Chair NEAPACOH

3. Ms. Suzanne Mandong, UNFPA Representative a.i, Uganda

4. Mr. Adnene Ben Haj Aissa, Executive Director, Partners in Population and Development

5. Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Director General, National Population Council, Uganda

6.  Hon. MALAYIKA Pamphile, Member of Parliament, Burundi ( Vote of Thanks -FRA)

Keynote addresses 

1. Keynote Speaker: KeyNote-Accelerating the achievement of the unfinished agenda of the ICPD goals and SDGs during and post COVID-19 Pandemic through South-South Cooperation- By Dr. Kadama ACHEST

2. Keynote Speaker: KeynotRose Oronje, PhD-Exploring the Potential of Emerging Health Technologies in Tackling Health Challenges in Africa during and post COVID-19 Pandemic- By Rose Oronje, Ph.D.

Kampala Call to Action (English and French)

ENG_Kampala Call for Action – 2021 Final

FRA_Kampala Call for Action – 2021 Finaly

COUNTRY PRESENTATIONS

1. Burundi Progress présentation 2021

2. Gambia Progress Presentation 2021

3. Kenya Progress presentation 2021

4. Lesotho Progress Presentation 2021

5. Malawi Progress Presentation 2021

6. Senegal Progress Presentation 2021

7. Tanzania Progress Presentation 2021

8. Uganda Progress Presentation 2021

9. Zambia Progress Presentation 2021

10. Zimbabwe Progress Presentation 2021

CONFERENCE VIDEO RECORDINGS

Day 1: Pre- NEAPACOH Conference

Day 2. NEAPACOH Conference

Day 3: NEAPACOH Conference

NEAPACOH 2021 Media Articles

1.  Baryomunsi to foreign countries: Stop keeping vaccines

2.  Legislators call on U.N to invest more in Africa

Just like a few other health committee parliamentarians that came together in their respective countries, the Ugandan participants held a hybrid of both physical and online, with the physical meeting taking place at Sheraton Hotel and had their attendance streamed online.

The NEAPACOH meeting was held with the objective of sharing progress, and lessons learned regarding the implementation of the reproductive health/family planning-related commitments and building the capacity of policymakers to contribute to enhanced accountability, leadership, and stewardship for the implementation of the commitments. This first of its kind virtual meeting was lauded by participants from the different countries for being a well-organized one and the different parliaments used it to discuss, share progress and country experiences regarding implementation of the 2019 NEAPACOH country commitments and the “Kampala Call to Action” amidst the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Committee of Health Hon. Dr. Michael Bukenya presided over the proceedings of the first day while his counterpart from Niger, Hon. Mamoudou Oumarou presided over the second day’s deliberations.

Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Member of Parliament from Uganda and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development gave the official opening remarks and recognized all dignitaries present including, Hon. Dr. Michael Bukenya,  the Chairperson of the Health Committee and session chair, Mr. Adnene Ben Haj Aissa, the Executive Director, PPD, Hon. Fako Moshoeshoe, the Chairperson NEAPACOH, Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the Director-General, National Population Council, Prof. Francis Omaswa, the Key Note Speaker, the Executive Director, African Institute for Development Policy, Dr. Eria Zulu, distinguished members of Parliament and various countries participating, development partners and everyone participating in the discussion. Prof. Francis Omaswa delivered a keynote address on the topic “Improving Universal Access to Reproductive Health and Family Planning Services for achieving the ICPD PoA and the SDGs amidst the COVID 19 Pandemic”.

The meeting enabled participants from different countries across Africa to share their experiences as they fulfilled the 2019 NEAPACOH commitments. Parliamentarians shared challenges they faced which was this year predominantly the novel Coronavirus pandemic that has impacted the different states greatly. The speakers shared other initiatives that countries may adopt in the fight against the pandemic such as community engagement. There was a general outcry on the increase in teenage pregnancies in most countries owing to the restrictions set due to the COVID 19 pandemic that set countries back even when they had made great strides to eliminate this.

NEAPACOH 200 Program

1. Eng_Program NEAPACOH Meeting 2020

PRE-CONFERENCE MEETING 

1. Pre-Conference NEAPACOH Meeting on TBLung Health

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

1. Remarks from Mr. Adnene Ben Haj Aissa the Executive Director PPD /PPD ARO

2. Presentation by Prof. Francis Omaswa (ACHEST)

COUNTRY PRESENTATION

1.  Gambia Progress Report 2020

2. South Sudan Progress Report 2020

3. Kenya Progress Report 2020

4. Uganda Progress Report 2020

5. Namibia Progress Report 2020

6. Zimbabwe Progress Report 2020

On 30^th to 31^st October 2019, just like every year since 10 years now, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO), in conjunction with the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH) and partners, organized the NEAPACOH which took place at Speke Resort Hotel Munyonyo – Kampala. The meeting participants from 24 countries were drawn from Parliamentarians who chair or are members of the parliamentary committees of health and their Committee Clerks, Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations, and other stakeholders involved in Family Planning, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) programmes.

This year-round, PPD ARO and NEAPACOH in collaboration with International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Regional Office (IPPF ARO) also organized a one-day pre-NEAPACOH workshop on SRHR continental landscape focusing on key frameworks which took place on 29^th October 2019.

The objective of the pre-conference workshop was to strengthen the participant’s understanding of key continental frameworks on SRHR and health and how to best utilize them to advance progress at the national level. The focus will be on Maputo Protocol and PoA, the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development (AADPD)/ICPD and SDGs.

The meeting was officially opened by Hon. Dr. Michael Bukenya, Chairperson Committee of the health of the Parliament of Uganda who represented Rt. Hon. Rebecca A. Kadaga, Speaker of Parliament of Uganda. During the opening session, this meeting was addressed by the Chairperson of NEAPACOH, the Honourable Chairperson of the Committee of Health of Parliament of Zimbabwe. The meeting was also addressed by Mr. Adnene Ben Haj Aissa, Executive Director, Partners in Population and Development, Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Director General, National Population Council, Uganda, Mr. Alain Sibenaler, UNFPA Country Representative, Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Uganda and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development.

DAY ONE

SESSION 1: Improving Universal Acess to Reproductive Health and Family Planning Service for achieving the ICPD PoA and the SDGs.

1. Keynote Presentation NEAPACOH Munyonyo -Dr. Christine Kirunga Tashobya from Makerere University, Uganda

2. Intersectoral Collaboration for SDGs and Health-Dr. David Okello, Director for NCDs and Healthy Ageing-ACHEST 

3. Delivering Cost-Effective, Quality PHC Services for UHC by Dr. Diana Nsubuga Nambatya-Living Goods Uganda

4. Advancing Contraceptive Options by Dr. Emmanuel Mugisha, Country Director PATH Uganda 

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SESSION 2: Accelerating progress for Universal A to Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights of the Young People to end Teenage Pregnancies

1. Ending Teenage Pregnancies and Child Marriages by Dr. Eliya Zulu, Executive Director, AFIDEP

2.  Accelerating progress for Universal Access to Sexual, Reproductive Health, and Rights of the Young People  to end Teenage Pregnancies by Prof. Joachim Osur, Director For Regional Projects, AMREF Health Africa

3. Universal Access To SRHR For Young People by Anne Alan Sizomu – Technical Advisor- Advocacy IPPF ARO

4. Accelerating progress for universal access to SRHR of the young people to end Teenage Pregnancies by Moyo Nhlanhla, Dot Youth – Rhrn Zimbabwe

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SESSION 3: Harnessing the African Union’s Demographic Dividend agenda for accelerated implementation of the ICPD PoA and achieving the SDGs at Country level: Issue for policy prioritization and agenda-setting

1. Harnessing the AU’s Demographic Dividend agenda for accelerated implementation of the ICPD PoA and achieving the SDGs at country level by Dr. Benard Onyango, AFIDEP

2. Harnessing Demographic Dividend – Agenda for Accelerating Implementation of ICPD POA

DAY TWO

SESSION 1: Country achievements and lessons learned in implementing the October 2018 NEAPACOH Commitments and developing country commitments for 2019/2020

1. SRHR on the road from ICPD in Cairo to the Nairobi Summit and beyond by Marianne Haslegrave, Comma

2. Monitoring and Accountability For Reproductive, Maternal Child And Adolescent Health by Eva Nakimuli Programme officer PPD-ARO 

 COUNTRY PROGRESS REPORTS ON 2018 COMMITMENTS

1.  Benin-Progress Report on Implementation of 2017 NEAPACOH Commitments 

2. Ghana-Progress Report on the Implementation of the 2018 NEAPACOH Commitments

3. Kenya-Progress Report on the Implementation of the 2017 NEAPACOH Commitments

4. Lesotho-Achievements, and Lessons Learned In Implementation Of The October 2018 Commitments

5. Malawi’s Experiences and Lessons Learnt in implementation of the 2018 NEAPACOH Commitments and Country Commitments for 2019

6. Nambia-Presentation on achievements and challenges

7.Niger-Engagements Du Neapacoh 2019 Réunion Du Réseau Des Comités Parlementaires Africains De La Santé

8. S.Sudan-Key Areas of Attention for Coming Year 2020

9. Senegal-Rapport d’avancement sur la mise en œuvre des engagements du NEAPACOH 2018

10. Seychelles-Committee for Communicable diseases, HIV-AIDS & SRHR Progress Report

11. Tanzania-2018 NEAPACOH Country Commitments

12. Uganda-Progress Report on the Implementation of 2018 Commitments 

13. Zambia-Commitments from the Zambian Parliamentarians

14. Zimbabwe-Progress Report on the Implementation of the 2018 NEAPACOH Commitments

 15. Togo-Presentation of 2018 Commitments

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NEAPACOH Report 2019: NEAPACOH Report 2019-Fin

Kampala Call to Action Document: Kampala Call to Action (English)

Kampala Call to Action Document: Kampala Call to Action(French)

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CONFERENCE PHOTOS

Access photos of participants and presenters from this link-Flickr. Photo credit: PPD-ARO

PPD ARO in close partnership with the Kenya National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) is hosting a two days’ 9th Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) Coordination Meeting; 24-25 June 2019 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi. In attendance are delegates from all the seven Eastern Africa countries (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).

Documents succeding the EARHN meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya

DAY ONE:

1. EARHN meeting objectives  By Nakimuli Eva – PPD‐ARO

2. Enhancing the DD for Socio-economic Transformation in Eastern Africa-By  Eliya Zulu, PhD. Executive Director, AFIDEP

3. Kenya Demographic Dividend

4. State of Reproductive Health  and Family Planning in East Africa- By APHRC

5. Successful Approaches to Advocacy- Anne Sizomu

6. Uganda_Demographic Dividend  –  Compatibility Mode

DAY TWO:

1. EARHN-Recap-of day one-By Achilles Kiwanuka, PPD ARO

2. Roadmap to ICPD25 PRESENTATION

3. Burundi progress report-By Dr BIGAYI Théophile

4. Ethiopia Progress Report-By Ethiopian Country Team

5. Kenya Progress report-By Kenay Team

6. Rwanda Progress Report-By Rwanda Team

7. South Sudan Progress Report-By Alexander Dimiti

8. Tanzania Progress Report-Tanzania Team

9. Uganda Progress Report – Uganda Team

10 Roadmap to the UAPS Conference- Nov_Entebbe

 EARHN Meeting 2019 Photo link: Flickr

The one-day meeting by far achieved its main objective of reviewing the NEAPACOH Constitution and came up with far-reaching resolutions to re-brand NEAPACOH as a robust, dynamic and effective African-ran and African led parliamentary network that is able to create and sustain the momentum for advocacy for delivery of better health outcomes on the continent. Represented in this meeting were parliaments of Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Niger, South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The meeting discussed and adopted a monitoring and accountability frameworks for NEAPACOH commitments for use during the report back session of the 2019 NEAPACOH meeting. Finally, the meeting set the 2019 NEAPACOH General Assembly to be held between October 30 – 31, 2019 in Kampala, Uganda.

The meeting was attended by over 80 participants selected from a broad range of seasoned and younger professionals nominated by their peers. Resource persons from several-organization (OP, Track20, WHO, PMA 2020, PAI, PPD ARO, SECONAF, UNFPA, USAID, HP+, Dfid) were selected to inform the discussion and promote inter-organizational cooperation. PPD Benin Partner Country Coordinator (PCC) Dr Gaston Ahounou, played a leading role in coordinating and ensuring participation of Benin government representatives.

Specific objectives of this meeting included;

1. A shared understanding of the latest evidence and effective practices for achieving zero pregnancies in school, including successful contraceptive service delivery.
2. Communication programs and removing practical, sociocultural, and policy barriers.
3. Drawing up country-specific preliminary 6-12-month multi-stakeholder SMART advocacy strategies.
4. Plans for sustained advocacy collaboration in each OP country that is dedicated to the inclusion of strong youth leadership and achieving initial policy advocacy win’ and subsequent objectives through 2019.
5. Leveraged resources, expertise, and commitment of national civil society (including youth) and international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), donors, governments, researchers, and religious leaders.

Determined to fulfil the commitments of FP2020 and universal health coverage, AFP has always focused on improving policies and increasing funding for family planning. In 2018, AFP renewed its approach by focusing on equitable access to high-quality contraception for young people and adolescents. In January, AFP and its local partners organized a similar meeting in Uganda for English-speaking Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia were represented).

The Parliamentarians were on a four day tour in Uganda including visits at their sister Uganda parliamentary Forum on Food Security Population and Development as well other Institutions in the country. As a young Parliament, the South Sudan parliamentarians visited Uganda to gain acquaintance to the Ugandan experience, benchmarks and learn from the best practices especially in the field of Parliamentary engagement on Population, Family Planning, Sexual and Reproductive Health issues.

The meeting at PPD ARO offices was also attended by members of the Uganda Family Planning Consortium (UFPC) and the Network of African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians. In his briefing to the delegates, Mr. Patrick Mugirwa, the Programme Manager at PPD ARO briefed the members about PPD’s high Advocacy engagement with African Parliamentarians and policy makers especially through the Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health (NEAPACOH).

The leader of the delegation and Chairperson of the SSPNPD, Hon. Jajur Babur thanked PPD ARO for the work done in the field of RH/FP Population and Development in the region and expressed desire for his country’s adhesion to PPD. Other members of the delegation included Hon. Dr. Margaret Joel Barnaba, Hon. Simon Lumori Philip, Hon. Sara Benjamin, Hon. Gese Morris and Hon. Taban Luka Guya. Staff from both UNFPA Country Offices of Uganda and South Sudan also attended this meeting.

The meeting which was opened by the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga was attended by parliamentarians who chair or are members of the parliamentary committees on health, their Committee Clerks. Other participants were key representatives of development partners, Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders engaged in Family Planning, Reproductive Health and Maternal and Child Health programmes from 25 countries including participants from USA, the UK, and Asia.

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