The government of Senegal and the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Strategy and Coordination Team are meeting in Dakar to help eight African countries— DRC, Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Senegal—finalize work plans and start implementation of the recommendations of the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities launched during the UN General Assembly in 2012.
The country plans will focus on the 13 life-saving commodities for women and children’s health presented in the report of the UN Commission, co-chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway.
Activities follow the Resolution on Implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children (A66/69), which urges countries to improve the quality, supply and use of 13 priority commodities. It also asks UN agencies to work with countries and their partners to support the implementation of the recommendations that the Commission presented in its 2012 report, achieving the goals set by this special commission set up under the umbrella of the UN Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health and the Every Woman Every Child movement.
The meeting in Dakar will allow countries to share progress on the recommendations made in the context of the UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities, and evaluate how they fit into their broader strategies. It is also an opportunity to increase advocacy at the political level, to renew country engagements and to share information and guidance on this process going forward.
Besides leading global level implementation on commodity supply and awareness, maternal health commodities and female condoms, UNFPA is heavily involved in country level planning and the implementation of recommendations regarding reproductive health (emergency contraception, female condoms, implants) and maternal health (magnesium sulfate, misoprostol, oxytocin) commodities targeted by the Commission.
