3. Strengthen global and in-country supply chains and improve policy environments for supply distribution.
When it comes to contraception, there is no such thing as “one-size-fits-all.” Women and girls must have access to a full range of methods in order to meet their needs and preferences. But contraceptive choice does not exist (or is very limited) in many low- and middle-income settings. A full range of supplies—including condoms, intrauterine devices (IUDs), injectables, pills, implants, and emergency contraception—must reach everyone who needs them. To ensure that contraceptive supplies are available and accessible, global and national supply chains need to be strengthened. This means coordination at different levels (global, national, and local) to ensure that contraceptive supplies reliably and predictably reach the women and girls who need them.
Supply chain is “the system for obtaining adequate quantities of contraceptives and other reproductive health supplies and for delivering them to service delivery points” (Source: MEASURE Evaluation).
Point 3 includes specific “asks” for the following groups:
- Governments, donors, the private sector, civil society, and all other stakeholders – work together to address contraceptive commodity stockouts and disruptions in the supply chain
- National and sub-national policy makers – improve supply chains and reduce/resolve stockouts, through supportive policies and protocols
- All partners – support national governments as they strengthen contraceptive commodity supply chains
4. Build supply chain resilience during emergency preparedness, response, and recovery to ensure the availability and quality of supplies to people affected by crises.
Women and girls in crisis settings face an increased risk of maternal mortality and morbidity, unintended pregnancy, and sexual violence. It is important to ensure uninterrupted access to health care, including contraception, in these settings. Access to contraceptive supplies in emergencies is critical, and supply chain resilience is important as we strive toward universal access to reproductive health care.
Supply chain resilience is the ability of the system involved in the supply chain to prepare for unexpected risks and to respond and recover quickly so supplies are delivered to users in a timely fashion.
Point 4 includes specific “asks” for the following groups:
- Governments, donors, and partners in the humanitarian and development communities – unite together to build resilient supply chains that anticipate contraceptive needs in emergencies and withstand crises when they occur
- Governments in crisis settings – begin preparing before an emergency strikes, including setting up policies and mechanism to help with contraceptive distribution if or when these events occur
Looking ahead
Lack of access to contraceptive supplies can have catastrophic consequences for women and girls looking to prevent or delay pregnancy. No matter where you sit in family planning programming, we hope you can see the role you play in helping to improve access to contraceptive supplies and will specifically consider these four points to guide you. We can all work together to prioritize the above actions to ensure that women and girls can access the supplies they need.
Want to learn more about this topic? Further reading:
- RHSC 2019 Commodity Gap Analysis
- RHSC 2019 Family Planning Market Report
The Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition is a global partnership of public, private, and non-governmental organizations dedicated to ensuring that all people in low- and middle-income countries can access and use affordable, high-quality supplies to ensure their better reproductive health. The Coalition brings together diverse agencies and groups with critical roles in providing contraceptives and other reproductive health supplies. These include multilateral and bilateral organizations, private foundations, governments, civil society, and private-sector representatives.
The Advocacy and Accountability Working Group (A&AWG) links global and country-level advocacy, in the areas of policy, finance, and programs, to create an environment favorable for scaling up equitable access to a wide range of affordable and high-quality reproductive health commodities. For more information and to join the working group, click here.