Origins of MeTA Kenya

The Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) initially started as a hypothesis and eventually developed into a policy and project. In 2008, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) transformed this hypothesis into a policy, in response to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly MDG 8.

With support from the World Bank (WB) and the World Health Organization (WHO), DFID invited seven countries to participate in this ambitious pilot project. These countries were Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Peru, the Philippines, Uganda, and Zambia.

The project, conducted between 2008 and 2015, collaborated with Health Action International and aimed to test the hypothesis that increasing transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical sector would enhance access to medicines by improving decision-making processes.

(http://www.medicinestransparency.org)

Kenya and Tanzania are new entrants to the MeTA initiative, joining existing active participants such as Ghana, Zambia, and Uganda. MeTA continues to work towards its mission of promoting transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical sector to improve access to medicines.

How MeTA works:

The Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) is a platform that brings together all stakeholders involved in the medicines market. Its primary goal is to improve access, availability, and affordability of medicines, with a specific focus on sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) and commodities.

The alliance includes key stakeholders such as the government, civil society organizations, development partners, counties, and the private sector. By engaging these diverse stakeholders, MeTA aims to foster dialogue and collaboration to ensure greater responsibility and accountability in the pharmaceutical sector.

Through established spaces for dialogue and dissent, MeTA works towards increasing access to sexual reproductive health commodities for the most vulnerable sectors of society. This includes addressing issues of affordability, availability, and ensuring quality standards.

The MeTA approach emphasizes the importance of dialogue and collective learning. By bringing together stakeholders from different sectors, MeTA aims to improve innovation, decision-making processes, and actions taken to enhance access to medicines. Through constructive engagement, MeTA seeks to overcome conflicts and drive positive change in the pharmaceutical sector.

Overall, MeTA strives to promote transparency, accountability, and collaboration among stakeholders to achieve better access to medicines, particularly in the context of sexual reproductive health rights.

MeTA Kenya

In MeTA Kenya, the council members represent various organizations and sectors, including the Ministry of Health, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), Health CSOs network, development partners of health, counties, development agencies, and the private sector, among others.

MeTA Kenya facilitates round table discussions that bring together these multi-stakeholders. The aim is to generate innovative solutions to the challenges of ensuring the right medicines are supplied to poor people, at the right price, with the right quality, and in a timely and accessible manner.

To achieve this, MeTA Kenya focuses on several key activities:

1. Identifying and spearheading advocacy initiatives: MeTA Kenya takes the lead in advocating for increased access to sexual reproductive health commodities (SRHC) and supports the improvement of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health (RMNCAH) outcomes. This is done through partnerships with the Reproductive and Maternal Health Services Unit (RMHSU) of the Ministry of Health (MoH).
2. Supporting learning and dissemination events: MeTA Kenya organizes and supports various learning and dissemination events, such as the MeTA Forum. These events provide platforms for stakeholders to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices related to access to medicines.
3. Supporting the dissemination of key Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials: MeTA Kenya plays a role in disseminating important IEC materials related to RMHSU. These materials help raise awareness and provide information on reproductive and maternal health issues.
4. Dissemination of key knowledge products: MeTA Kenya ensures the dissemination of key knowledge products resulting from the annual sexual reproductive health commodity (SRHC) studies. These studies provide valuable insights and information that can inform decision-making and policy development in the area of SRHC.

Through these activities, MeTA Kenya aims to contribute to improved access to medicines, particularly in the context of sexual reproductive health, and to support the overall goals of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health in Kenya.