Private sector in Uganda contributes to medicines strategy development

Posted on 15 December 2009

For the first time in Uganda, the private sector has been invited to participate in the formulation of the next five-year strategic plan on medicines (2010-2014). This has happened as a direct result of the multi-stakeholder process promoted by the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA). Uganda is one of seven countries taking part in the pilot phase and already different ways of working are starting to emerge.

“Something really exciting has happened in Uganda as a result of MeTA," said Nazeem Mohamed is co-chair of the MeTA Council. "The Government has invited the pharmaceutical sector, of which I am the chairman of the local manufacturers' association, to participate in the formulation of the next five-year strategic plan for pharmaceuticals in Uganda, which in the past we have never been involved with."

"It is really through the MeTA process that the Government has realised that the private sector has to be involved. It is a historical first. There was a whole week workshop organised by the Ministry of Health and we were there, and I think we are now an active partner. I hope this will continue. This wouldn’t have happened without MeTA. It is because of the relationships that we developed on the MeTA Council. The other co-chairman of MeTA, Martin Oteba at the Ministry of Health, is driving the process,” he added.

The multi-stakeholder nature of the MeTA approach means that government officials, private sector representatives and civil society organisations are sitting round the same table, discussing ways to make medicines more available to poor people, who are currently unable to access them. This means that new relationships and new strategic alliances are being formed. In Uganda, for the first time, the local private sector is to be involved in formulating medicines strategy and this means that there are better opportunities to work towards the ultimate goal of access to medicines for all.