RH Commodity Security in Uganda: Perspectives of Parliament Ruth Kavuma Nvumetta Woman MP, Kalangala District (Ssese Islands) Member, Network of African Women Ministers & Members of Parliament RH Supplies Coalition Meeting. London, United Kingdom June 4, 2009

Successes 1. Parliamentary Role for MPs in RH Commodity Security: a. Enacted laws exempting taxes on essential drugs & medicines b. Advocated with the President to endorse/sign the “Roadmap for Accelerating Reduction of Maternal & Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity.” LLY MUGUMYA

Successes Cont’ c. The Parliamentary Sessional Committee on Social Services has prioritised RH over the next 2 years: Re-prioritised RH supplies within Health Sector and allocated US $1m from Policy & Planning Department and another US $80,000 from Health Services Commission to RHCS in the FY 2009/10 The Committee has put condition to allocate part of the US $100 m World Bank Loan to RH before parliamentary approval of the loan to the health sector. Managed to stop a loan for Public Service Reform before commitment to loan for RH. d. Reviewing the counterfeit bill. LLY MUGUMYA

Successes Cont’ 2.Constituency & Mobilization Roles for MPs on Issues of RH Commodity Security: a. Mobilised district leadership to plan for and allocate resources to support RHCS. 30 out of 80 districts have been mobilized. b. Regular press briefings and media activities (TV and radio talk shows) on issues of RH in general and RHCS in particular. c. Oversight function: regular supervision of the National Medical Stores and highlighting shortcomings in media.

Challenges: 1. Lack of harmonized and consistent unequivocal support for RH Commodities, esp. family planning within parliament weaken advocacy for resource allocation and appropriate policy adoption. 2. Non-prioritization of the high population growth as a development issue for Uganda. LLY MUGUMYA

Challenges Cont.. 3. Funding : Inadequate funding for the health sector, that makes internal re-allocations even more difficult to achieve a fair balance given competing priorities. The policy of managing a cash budget and therefore quarterly funds disbursement to Ministry of Health affects timely ordering and delivery of commodities, given lead time from ordering and delivery, hence low expenditure on RHCS. Government and sector budget cuts are often done at executive level without parliamentary approvals, hence some vital areas which were allocated funds could suffer from the budget cuts.

Challenges:-cont 4. Districts do not prioritize RHCS in their plans and budgets, hence poor uptake of RHCS at district and facility levels. 5. Weak capacity for supply chain management, especially National Medical Stores & its distribution system while

Opportunities 1. A number of national policies and national development plans are being developed that offer opportunities for integrating issues of RH in general and RHCS: National Development Plan (2010 – 2015) National Health Policy II and Health Sector Strategic Plan III, National Population Policy and Action Plan RHCS Strategic Plan for MoH

Opportunities 2.`Growing momentum in parliament on issues of social services: Parliamentary Forum on Food Security, Population & Development, Parliamentary Youth Forum Parliamentary Sessional Committee on Social Services Parliamentary Standing Committee on HIV/AIDS, Initiation of a forum for Development Partners & Parliamentary Committees on Social Services and HIV/AIDS.

Acknowledgements: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU), formerly Family Planning Association of Uganda, Population Secretariat, Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development Department for International Development (Dfid) Ministry of Health, RH Division. Uganda Government and Parliament.

Thank you Ms. Ruth Kavuma Nvumetta Woman Member of Parliament, Kalangala District(Ssese Islands) Member, Network of African Women Ministers and Parliamentarians Uganda-Chapter (NAWMP) 4 th June 2009