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The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition today signed a cooperation agreement  to work together as partners in the effort to ensure access and use to affordable and high quality reproductive health supplies.

 

Dr. Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health, signed the agreement while the coalition was represented by its director, Dr. John Skibiak. During the signing ceremony Dr. Kebede  noted that the government looks forward to working with the coalition, especially on price negotiation and sustainability of the program.  He added that lowering the price of reproductive health supplies globally should be one of the priorities of the coalition.

The agreement will enable the FMoH to have full access to the tools, resources and information of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, indicated Dr. Skibiak.The Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition which is based in Brussels, Belgium, is a global partnership of public, private, and non-governmental organizations dedicated to ensuring that all people in low- and middle-income countries can access and use affordable, high-quality supplies to ensure their better reproductive health. Through the agreement signed today Ethiopia joins 7 European government members of the Coalition, and becomes the 3rd African country member after Ghana and Uganda.

Since 2004, the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition has been at the forefront of international efforts to secure reproductive health supplies by increasing resources, strengthening systems, and building effective partnerships. The Coalition brings together diverse agencies and groups - including United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Global Programme on Reproductive Health - with critical roles in providing contraceptives and other reproductive health supplies. These include multilateral and bilateral organizations, private foundations, governments, civil society, and private-sector representatives. A total of 130 organizations around the world are playing a key role within the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition.