Stop Stock-outs Campaign in Uganda Kibira Denis (MPS) HEPS-UGANDA 25th March 2010

Outline of discussion Background Methods/activities Achievements

Background A ‘stock-out’ is when a pharmacy temporarily has no medicine/s on the shelf. This results into grave consequences for patients who may go without the medicines they need, seek alternative and sometimes inappropriate medicine or die. The campaign to combat stock-outs is in five African countries –Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Cont’d In Uganda, according to the Pharmaceutical Situation Assessment-Level II-Health Facility Survey Report 2008 of Ministry of Health, only 45.7% public health facilities had a basket of 28 essential medicines. The duration of stock-outs in these facilities in 2007-8 averaged 2.5months per year Medicines cost 3-5 times more than int. prices The campaign is a civil society initiative to advocate for improved availability of, and access to, essential medicines in public health facilities

Methods/activities CSO coalition Partnerships with other stakeholders; MoH, Private sector through MeTA, MPs and local artists Monitoring Medicines availability and price survey reports by MoH/WHO/HAI (HEPS) Campaign IEC material Press conferences, public rallies and fora, radio talk shows and Pill check campaigns Community outreaches/road shows

Cont’d Pill-check public campaigns

Achievements Stop Stock-outs campaign has raised more awareness about the right to health and to access essential medicines in Uganda than ever before leading to wide media and public outcry NMS responses to media articles NMS granted financial and operational autonomy President and other politicians have come out to publicly condemn stock outs Creation of Drug Monitoring Unit

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