Recorded presentation

Jagdish Upadhyay, Commodity Management Unit, United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA New York, 220 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, 212-297-5228, upadhyay@unfpa.org

One of the goals of ICPD was “universal access to reproductive health services.” Although much has been achieved over the last 10 years to reach this goal, there are several areas that still require focused attention. One such area is ensuring the secure supply and choice of quality contraceptives and other reproductive health commodities. Without universal access to reproductive health commodities, it will not be possible to achieve universal access to reproductive health care by 2015.

A number of factors contribute to problems in RHCS including insufficient funding, growing demand and weak systems for managing and delivering the commodities. These issues must be addressed at all levels from global to national to ensure that women and men can chose, obtain and use quality reproductive health commodities.

UNFPA has a lead role in coordinating, raising awareness about RHCS and obilizing the world community to address it. In 2001, it issued a call to action that asked a variety of partners to undertake focused and coordinated work in advocacy, national capacity building and sustainability. Its strategy takes into account critical components to RHCS including forecasting, financing, procurement and distribution systems.

During this session, UNFPA will provide an overview of RHCS and an update on the current RHCS situation. It will also present progress that has been made,issues that are still faced,and the steps it is taking to continue to ensure a secure supply of reproductive health commodities.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of this session participants will be
• able to define reproductive health commodity security (RHCS) and describe the key elements that
• contribute toward a secure supply of RH commodities. Participants will also understand
• current threats to RHCS and how the global community is responding to address them.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation