TMA Study for Family Planning in Four East and Southern African Countries

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Abstract

This regional Total Market Approach (TMA) report compares and contrasts key findings of four TMA studies on the modern Family Planning (FP) markets conducted between October and December 2016. The four countries participating in the regional study were: Kenya, Madagascar, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The aim of the TMA is to design more targeted, efficient and sustainable FP programs through participation of all sectors – public, NGO, commercial and traditional– to meet the contraceptive needs of all women (and men) in the region, and contribute to universal health coverage. The study was financed by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), through UNFPA’s East and Southern Africa Regional Office, under the leadership of Dr Kanyanta Sunkutu, RHCP/CCP Technical Specialist.

The goal of the TMA studies was to generate an understanding of the total market for modern contraceptive commodities by assessing the current family planning (FP) landscape and available market data, and identifying market constraints and programmatic gaps that prevent universal, sustainable use of FP commodities in each of the four target countries.

Key objectives of the studies were to: (i) understand the national FP environment, rules, resources and capacity; (ii) map public, NGO and commercial sector players and products in the market system, and assess their performance and core roles in terms of procurement, distribution, access and demand generation; (iii) analyze whom the FP market is failing (iv) describe how the FP market is failing to meet the needs of population segments, and (v) assess national support and possible coordination mechanisms for the implementation of a TMA initiative for FP products.

The roadmap, methodology and tools for the study were based on market systems frameworks and pioneering work from various organizations, including Abt Associates, PATH, the Springfield Centre, and Population Services International (PSI). National consultants based their analysis of FP markets on available market and other data collected by means of a desk review and through key informant interviews conducted with main FP stakeholders to assess each FP market. TMA findings were presented and discussed at the national consensus generation meetings organized in most countries in December 2016. During these meetings, key policy and advocacy recommendations and action points were formulated jointly by participating FP stakeholders. Consensus generation meetings were held in Madagascar and Uganda in December 2016 and in Zimbabwe in January 2017. In Kenya, the national consensus-building workshop was replaced by smaller FP TMA Technical Working Group meetings, held in Dec 2016 and March 2017.