The meeting of the Network of African Parliamentary Committees on Health (NEAPACOH) that ended on June 30th 2016 adopted the Kampala Call for Action based on sustainable development as the core principle. This two days’ gathering was organized under the auspices of NEAPACOH and hosted by Parliament of Uganda and Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO) and other stakeholders under the theme of; “From Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Challenges and Opportunities for Parliaments to enhance Reproductive Health and Family Planning.”
The Kampala Call for Action made recommendations on Leadership, Legislation, Advocacy, Financing, Strategies and Programmes as well as Strengthening NEAPACOH aiming at accelerating and outlining key actions to further promote SRH & FP, gender equality as well as population and development for the next five years. It was attended by members of parliament from nineteen African countries and was presided by Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of State for Housing on behalf of the Minister of State for Finance Planning and Economic Development of Uganda. With the view to promote information exchange, facilitate policy dialogue and identify key areas of follow up action to advance reproductive health and family planning on the continent, the meeting also attracted representatives of development partners, NGOs, Civil Society, researchers and other stakeholders engaged in Family Planning, Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health.
Other notable participants at this annual meeting included Dr. Joe Thomas, Executive Director of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, Director General of National Population Council of Uganda, Dr. Eliya Zulu, Executive Director of African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Ms. Miranda Tabifor the acting UNFPA Uganda Country Representative and Hon. Blessing Chebundo from Zimbabwe and Chair of NEAPACOH. Equally present and among key speakers were Prof. Francis Omaswa, Executive Director, African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) and Ms. Marianne Haslegrave, Director, Commonwealth Medical Trust (COMMAT). The meeting noted among others, that sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and family planning (FP) remain critically important for the sustainable development of the African continent and hence observed that it is essential to continue positioning them high on the continent’s development agenda. Read More