E-DRUG: MeTA workshop for Jordan, Kyrgyz, Philippines and Peruvian CSOs
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[A chance for active NGO E-druggers from Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines and Peru to meet and work on increasing transparency and accountability on
medicines in their countries. MeTA is a new DFID sponsored programme to
promote transparency and accountability on medicines. Seven countries are
piloting MeTA; civil society organisations of the 3 African countries
(Ghana, Zambia and Uganda) already had a 1-week workshop in Uganda in
February 2008. WB]
Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) Skills Building Workshop for Jordan,
Kyrgyz, Philippines and Peruvian Civil Society Organisations, Manila, The
Philippines, 3-10 June 2008
Interested in access to medicines? Interested in governance, transparency
and accountability processes? If the answer to either of those questions is
yes, and you are working in a civil society organisation in Jordan,
Kyrgyzstan, Peru or The Philippines, an upcoming workshop in Manila, The
Philippines, 3-10 June 2008 may be of interest.
The workshop is the first step in a two-year programme of civil society
capacity strengthening as part of the work of the international Medicines
Transparency Alliance (MeTA). MeTA aims to use a multi-stakeholder approach
towards increasing transparency around the regulation, selection,
procurement, sale, distribution and use of medicines in developing
countries, thereby strengthening governance, encouraging responsible
business practices and ultimately improving access to medicines, especially
for the poor.
The meaningful participation of civil society in these multi-stakeholder
activities in the countries in which the MeTA process will be launched
during 2008 is critical to the success of the process. This seven-day
workshop, with a particular emphasis on strengthening those with the least
power to engage with the process, will help participants:
. feel more prepared and comfortable to engage with national policy
processes, including the multi-stakeholder working groups envisaged by MeTA
. acquire specific knowledge on issues related to access to medicines,
in particular transparency, accountability and efficiency issues
. acquire skills to promote greater transparency and accountability at
national, district and community levels
. strengthen networking in their own country, and across countries
. develop ideas on campaigns and advocacy on medicines issues for use
in their own MeTA pilot countries.
The workshop will be participatory in nature and make use of the knowledge,
skills and experiences of participants as a major resource throughout.
Hosted by the Health Action Information Network (HAIN) (www.hain.org),
working in partnership with the MeTA International Secretariat
(www.medicinestranparency.org) and fully funded by the UK Department for
International Development (DFID - www.dfid.gov.uk) the workshop will have a
multidisciplinary team of facilitators drawn from the Philippines and other
countries, guided by Wilbert Bannenberg and Andrew Chetley acting as course
directors.
The workshop will include knowledge sharing, skills development, experience
sharing and country planning sessions each day. A field visit will provide
participants with an opportunity for direct learning about the issues of
transparency and accountability in the Philippine pharmaceutical sector.
Topics to be covered will include: an introduction to MeTA; availability,
accessibility and affordability of medicines; medicine financing; the
procurement and supply chain for medicines; governance, transparency and
accountability - the role of civil society; ethical practice and the
rational use of medicines. Skills that are likely to be covered include:
monitoring prices, interpreting data, networking and collaboration,
negotiating policies, working with media, advocacy, understanding policy
processes, interview techniques, computer and knowledge management skills,
documentation and effective communication.
There are a limited number of places available (5 from each of the four
countries) for participation in the workshop. Accordingly, an application
process will be used. Participants who are:
. active in a reliable CSO or network
. interested in MeTA issues (medicines, health, transparency,
governance, accountability)
. willing to write half page motivation letter, which should state how the participant intends to use the knowledge and skills acquired
. if invited to participate, willing to write one page about a project or campaign that they have personally been involved in, highlighting the significant change that occurred and why they think it was significant OR one page analyzing something that you think needs attention in your country, and why it is important to work on this in your context
. able to speak and understand English
are invited to follow the following application procedure:
. Consider whether you qualify (using the participant criteria above)
. Notify the organizers of your interest to participate by 27 April
2008 by email to esmith@metasecretariat.org , attach a participant form (see below), a motivation letter and your CV
. The organizers will study your application, consider the
participants mix and take a decision. They may also ask you more questions
by email or phone.
. If the organizers formally invite you (which will be done by 30
April 2008), write your one page story, sign a conflict of information form, and submit by email or fax (details for this will be sent out to you with the invitation)
Participant form (No more than 1 page)
Name
Position
Name of organisation/network
Address of organisation/network
Telephone/Fax number of organisation; your home/mobile phone number
(indicate which is preferred)
Your email address
Organisation/network website
Brief (100 word) summary about what your organisation does in relation to
medicines, health or governance/transparency
Brief outline of major linkages your organisation has with institutions in
your country that work on health, medicines, development or
governance/transparency: civil society, governmental, academic, private
sector
Don't forget to add an additional half-page motivational letter about how
you would apply the learning from the workshop in your work.
Send the completed form and motivational letter to
esmith@metasecretariat.org by 17.00 GMT on 27 April 2008.
If you are invited to attend the workshop, you will be notified by 1 May,
and all travel and participation costs will be met, thanks to funding from
DFID.
Please feel free to circulate this email to other civil society
organisations or networks who you think might be interested in attending.
For more info on MeTA:
. see website http://www.dfidhealthrc.org/meta/ or
www.medicinestransparency.org (under construction)
To contact the course directors directly:
. Andrew Chetley, Healthlink Worldwide, achetley@metasecretariat.org
. Wilbert Bannenberg, public health consultant,
wbannenberg@metasecretariat.org