Kampala, 10 May 2023 – On 10 May 2023, UNFPA, in partnership with the government of Uganda, signed a compact under the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala, aimed at increasing domestic financing contribution towards the supply of modern contraceptives and lifesaving maternal health medicines in the country.
The compact was signed by the UNFPA Country Representative Dr. Mary Otieno and was endorsed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine and the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Hon. Matia Kasaija on behalf of the government of Uganda.
For the case of Uganda, the “Compact” implies that for every 100 dollars contributed by UNFPA towards the annual procurement budget of contraceptives, the government of Uganda will contribute 1% of its domestic finances toward the procurement of contraceptives. This contribution will rise by at least 1 percentage point every year.
Over the past four years, UNFPA supplied family planning commodities worth USD 17.6 million to the Ministry of Health through the public health supply chain. These supplies are estimated to have provided 7.5 million couples with one full year of protection of contraceptive method mix (implants, injectable, IUD, oral contraceptives and condoms).
The UNFPA Supplies Partnership entered its third strategic phase (2021-2030). From January 2022, the programme transitioned to a new operational model that promises to strengthen performance and accountability towards the programme’s strategic goals. The “Compact” is a hallmark of the new operation (Phase III model). The Compact is a mutual agreement that sets out the terms and conditions for participation in the UNFPA Supplies Partnership and clarifies the roles and responsibilities of different partners involved.
Since its inception in 2008, the UNFPA Supplies Partnership has focused on delivering modern contraception and life-saving maternal health medications into the hands of the most vulnerable women and girls. In Uganda, the partnership will support the government, through the Ministry of Health, improve access to high-quality reproductive health commodities for women and girls, including contraception for family planning whenever they want or need them.
Family Planning Programming Partner Representatives at the Compact Signing Ceremony at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala
In her remarks, Dr. Mary Otieno, the UNFPA Country Representative, commended the government of Uganda for its commitment to increase funding for family planning commodities by an additional 3 billion shillings in fiscal year 2023/24, as well as its overall commitments to the family planning program as stated in the Uganda FP2030 commitments.
“Despite the progress made thus far, approximately three out of every ten women in Uganda who want to avoid pregnancy do not use modern contraception,” she explained. “They are left behind because formidable barriers to reproductive health continue to persist in matters of policy, finance, social and cultural norms, strained health systems, inadequate services and weak supply chains”.
Minister Kasaija stated during the signing of the Compact that the compact agreement is an emphasis of Uganda's commitments to invest in the overall health and well-being of Ugandans, specifically in family planning as a key intervention to address the country's unfavourable demographics as it moves toward middle-income status.
The compact will provide an opportunity for the government of Uganda to participate in the match funding modality, where any additional domestic financing contribution by the government that exceeds 1% is matched by an equivalent contribution from UNFPA to the tune of up to $1.5 million.
- Written by Emmanete Nabwire
