Interested in access to medicines? Interested in governance, transparency and accountability processes? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, and you are working in a civil society organisation in Ghana, Uganda or Tanzania, an upcoming workshop in Entebbe, Uganda in February 2008 may be of interest. The workshop is the first step in a two-year programme of civil society capacity strengthening as part of the work of the international Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA). MeTA aims to use a multi-stakeholder approach towards increasing transparency around the regulation, selection, procurement, sale, distribution and use of medicines in developing countries, thereby strengthening governance, encouraging responsible business practices and ultimately improving access to medicines, especially for the poor. The meaningful participation of civil society in these multistakeholder activities in the countries in which the MeTA process will be launched during 2008 is critical to the success of the process. This seven-day workshop, with a particular emphasis on strengthening those with the least power to engage with the process, will help participants: * feel more prepared and comfortable to engage with national policy processes, including the multi-stakeholder working groups envisaged by MeTA * acquire specific knowledge on issues related to access to medicines, in particular transparency, accountability and efficiency issues * acquire skills to promote greater transparency and accountability at national, district and community levels * strengthen networking in their own country, and across countries * develop ideas on campaigns and advocacy on medicines issues for use in their own MeTA pilot countries. The workshop will be participatory in nature and make use of the knowledge, skills and experiences of participants as a major resource throughout. Hosted by HEPS (www.heps.org ), working in partnership with HERA (Health Research for Action: www.herabelgium.com/index.php) and Healthlink Worldwide (www.healthlink.org.uk), and fully funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID – www.dfid.gov.uk), a multidisciplinary team of facilitators drawn from Uganda and other African countries, will be guided by Wilbert Bannenberg and Andrew Chetley acting as course directors. Both have more than 25 years experience of work in improving access to medicines and their rational use, much of it in Africa. The workshop will include knowledge sharing, skills development, experience sharing and country planning sessions each day. A mid-week field visit will provide participants with an opportunity for direct learning about the issues of transparency in the Ugandan pharmaceutical sector. Topics to be covered will include: an introduction to MeTA; availability, accessibility and affordability of medicines; medicine financing; the procurement and supply chain for medicines; governance, transparency and accountability – the role of civil society; ethical practice and the rational use of medicines. Skills that are likely to be covered include: monitoring prices, interpreting data, networking and collaboration, negotiating policies, working with media, advocacy, understanding policy processes, interview techniques, computer and knowledge management skills, documentation and effective communication. There are a limited number of places available (7 from each of the three countries) for participation in the workshop. Accordingly, an application process will be used. Participants who are: * active in a reliable, active CSO or network * interested in MeTA issues (medicines, health, transparency, governance, accountability) * willing to write half page motivation letter, which should state how the participant intends to use the knowledge and skills acquired * if invited to participate, willing to write one page about a project or campaign that they have personally been involved in, highlighting the significant change that occurred and why they think it was significant OR one page analyzing something that you think needs attention in your country, and why it is important to work on this in your context are invited to follow the following application procedure: * Consider whether you qualify (using the participant criteria above) * Notify the organizers of your interest to participate by 15 January 2008 by email to metacso@healthlink.org.uk , attach a participant form (see below) and motivation letter * The organizers will study your application, consider the participants mix and take a decision. They may also ask you more questions by email or phone. * If the organizers invite you, which will be done by 22 January 2008, write your one page story, attach your CV, sign a conflict of information form, and submit by email or fax (details for this will be sent out to you with the invitation) Participant form (No more than 1 page) Name Position Name of organisation/network Address of organisation/network Telephone/Fax number of organisation; your home/mobile phone number (indicate which is preferred) Your email address Organisation/network website Brief (100 word) summary about what your organisation does in relation to medicines, health or governance/transparency Brief outline of major linkages your organisation has with institutions in your country that work on health, medicines, development or governance/transparency: civil society, governmental, academic, private sector Don’t forget to add an additional half-page motivational letter about how you would apply the learning from the workshop in your work. Send the completed form and motivational letter to metacso@healthlink.org.uk by 17.00 GMT on 15 January 2008. If you are invited to attend the workshop, you will be notified by 22 January, and all travel and participation costs will be met, thanks to funding from DFID. Please feel free to circulate this email to other civil society organisations or networks who you think might be interested in attending. A second workshop for civil society organisations working in Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines and Peru, will be held in the Phillipines in March. A detailed announcement about this workshop will be circulated in early 2008. For more info on MeTA: * see website http://www.dfidhealthrc.org/meta/ To contact the course directors directly: * Andrew Chetley, Healthlink Worldwide, chetley.a@healthlink.org.uk * Wilbert Bannenberg, public health consultant, wjb@wxs.nl