We can fund three years of supply
Rino Meyers from I+Solutions
I+Solutions, as described by Rino Meyers is: “A non-governmental organization working on all levels of the pharmaceutical supply chain from market research, production over supply chain issues to dispensing product at health centre level. The mission of the organization is to promote access to treatment and care, and this is achieved by improving the availability and the accessibility of drugs and other medical commodities. I+Solutions is based in the Netherlands with subsidiaries in US, SA, Sudan and Madagascar, and has been around for five years;”
I+Solutions is a member of the consortium of Dutch organizations leading the Universal Female Condom Campaign. Mr. Meyers, explains the specific role that I+Solutions has within the consortium:
“For this project I+solutions specializes in three areas. The first is procurement, the second is research and development and the third area is supporting the pilot country program in Cameroon. For the Cameroun pilot program, I+solutions is supervising the implementation of the Cameroun program and partners. Currently, the Cameroon program is the process of finalizing their marketing plan and prepares the introduction of the two female condoms they are going to put on the market in June
The local partner ACMS, the national social marketing organisation is in charge of the implementation and works with a number of partners on the social mobilisation and women’s rights. Additionally, I+solutions is working on the quality control of the female condoms once they arrive in the country. UAFC is supporting the quality control laboratory, LANACOME, and is working to upgrade their system and capacity so the laboratory can begin testing female condoms. Once the laboratory has been updated it will be the first female condom testing laboratory operational in Africa. It will test the quality of the female condoms for the Cameroon program but also for other countries in the region.”
Another area of support is the supply of female condoms starting with the quantification over supply planning, negotiations with suppliers and support to and monitoring of the supply chain of the female condoms to and in the country.
The Cameroon Program, that I+Solutions is supporting, has already achieved things despite the fact that the program has only started this year and supplies will start arriving in may. As Mr. Meyers, describes:
“The Cameroon country program and budget have been approved, the preparation activities have started. The program has received a large support and adhesion from the Cameroun’s government, reproductive health and aids prevention partners and community based organisations and NGO’s.
ACMS has already for years had more demand then supplies and has been awaiting for this UAFC opportunity, funding and support to be able to increase their campaigns and target the whole population and in particular women.
The reference documents for training and promotion are almost finalised and the scaling up distribution of the female condoms is now scheduled to begin in June of this year. There are now sufficient funding for the supply of condoms for the next three years and for the demand creation, sensitization and promotion activities.”
