E-drug: HAI Southern Africa Regional Workshop and Training Session
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Dear friends,
As part of its three year programme Networking for Rational Drug Use
in Africa*, Health Action International (HAI) will organise the Southern
Africa Regional Workshop and Training Session "Consumer Involvement
in National Drug Policy Implementation" from 1-6 June 1998 in Pretoria,
South Africa.
The participants will be drawn from people involved in the creation
and implementation of national drug policies or aspects of them in
Southern Africa. Approximately 35 participants who are working on
health and drug issues in the countries of Angola, Botswana, Equatorial
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria,
South Africa, Swaziland or Zimbabwe will be invited to attend.*
HAI seeks participants who have already initiated activities to promote
the elements of a national drug policy within their own country and
who will support and train others wishing to carry out similar work.
We encourage individuals working in a range of organisations to
attend. These include: health NGOs (regional health networks,
church-based groups, ad hoc professional groups and small community
organisations); policy-makers, university-based experts, journalists
specialising in health and pharmaceutical issues, independent drug
bulletins, consumer organisations, women's health organisations,
individuals working within essential drugs projects, people involved in
medical and pharmacy education as well as those working to provide
independent drug information for consumers and medical students.
Due to limited funding and facilities for meeting participants, HAI will
be forced to limit the number of contacts able to attend this meeting.
However, HAI hopes that E-drug participants working in these
countries will consider participation in this workshop. If you are
interested in attending, please contact HAI at the address given at the
end of this message for further information and a copy of the official
announcement.
We would also ask that you give copies of this announcement to others
in your professional network who you think might be potential
participants, bearing in mind the scope of the meeting.
Themes of the conference:
National drug policies will provide the framework for the meeting.
Participants will be asked to share successful implementation
strategies, problems encountered and ideas on how to involve a wide
range of groups working on rational drug use issues in Africa.
Initiatives to increase regional cooperation and collaboration in order
to reach the goals set out in national drug policies will also be
highlighted.
National drug policies will provide the link to a number of related
rational drug use issues which fall within the scope of HAI's work. The
following topics may be included in the programme depending upon
participants' interests and experiences:
- The establishment of a national essential drugs list
- The use of generic drugs
- Regulation of the pharmaceutical market
- Drug supply systems and the role of the private sector in
implementing national drug policies
- Local drug production
- Drug promotion
- Drug donations
- Quality assurance, including substandard drugs
- Health care financing: the effects of changing the public/private mix,
including the implications of GATT/WTO policies and World Bank and
structural adjustment programmes
- The role of traditional medicine
- The provision of objective drug information
- Public education initiatives on national drug policies
- Drug management, inventory, distribution and storage
- The need for transparency and accountability in drug regulation
Plus, the programme will include skills training sessions relating to
national drug policies such as how to start campaigns, work with the
media, prepare training materials and plan workshops.
Funding
Because there are limited funds available for this regional workshop,
HAI cannot guarantee financial support for all candidates. HAI has
secured funds so that a great deal of the costs involved in
transportation and lodging for the meeting can be covered. However,
HAI's budget may not allow for some participants' full costs. In this
case, HAI is willing to assist selected candidates in their applications
to other local, regional or international donors for additional funding.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Jannes van der Wijk
HAI Africa Project Coordinator
* This meeting ushers in phase two of HAI's programme in Africa. HAI's
first regional workshop took place in March 1997 and brought together
groups active in Eastern Africa. A third regional workshop will be held
with contacts working in Francophone Africa later this year.
*The meeting will take place in English. All participants should be
reasonably fluent in English to attend.
For more information about the meeting and a copy of the Reply Form,
contact HAI at its e-mail address: HAI@HAI.ANTENNA.NL
The deadline for receiving replies to the announcement is 15 March
1998.
Elizabeth Hayes
Health Action International Europe
Jacob van Lennepkade 334 T, 1053 NJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
tel: +31 20 6833684, fax: +31 20 6855002
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