News

His Excellency, Minister of State for Ethiopia, Dr Dereje Duguma, gave a keynote speech at the Gender Mainstreaming event at the Radisson Hotel, Addis Ababa, on 23^rd Sept.

The event marked the launch and dissemination by the Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency (EPSA) of the policy, strategy, and manual of the Women and Youth Affairs Directorate led by Alemtsehay Data.

His Excellency, the Minister for State, Dr Dereje Duguma, with women representatives

Dr Abdulkadir Galgalo, the Director General of EPSA, addressed the audience which included the executive committee, directors, branch leaders, and others from the Agency and its partners.

The gender inequality and discrimination that women and girls face in relation to health supplies must be addressed to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with their promise to “leave no one behind”.

The 2020-2030 National Development Strategy for Ethiopia, including the Health Sector Transformation Plan II, emphasizes gender mainstreaming and women empowerment to achieve equitable distribution of medical and pharmaceutical supplies to help progress towards gender equality.

To this end, EPSA has made a strategic shift to focus its operations on customer satisfaction rather than on product. The Agency has become more aware of end-customers as “people” and is paying greater attention to mainstreaming gender in its institution and operations.

Its Pharmaceuticals Supply Transformation Plan II (PSTP II) uses a human-rights based approach, with an emphasis on gender mainstreaming. Equity is one of its core principles, and it takes gender as a main determinant of health. The plan prioritizes inclusiveness at the supplier, provider, and service utilizers’ levels. It follows a “people-centered approach” with “health in all policies”.

The Gender Mainstreaming event was facilitated by Pamela Steele Associates (PSA) and attended by Pamela Steele, Director of Supply Chain Transformation, and members of her team.