who medicines strategy - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGY | 31is to be adapted as a regular monitoring tool. Inaddition, several countries in the Americas Regionincluded in the European Commission (EC)-WHOjoint programme will undertake baseline countrysurveys.WHO is also developing a quantitative householdsurvey package that covers health-seekingbehaviour and the affordability, availability,source, and appropriate use of medicines.Household surveys have been carried out inseveral African countries and in Nepal.ChallengesOne of the key challenges is to persuade countriesand donors to recognize that investment of timeand finances in monitoring and evaluation isworthwhile. It is important that all countriescarrying out monitoring and assessment do so byusing or adapting the current survey tool. The useof a fixed set of key indicators is vital to ensurethat repeated and comparable monitoring canbe carried out. While qualitative and descriptiveassessment can be useful, it should not replacethe need to qualitatively measure actual impact.Another challenge is to find ways of movingbeyond data analysis to discussion, presentationof results to different groups in the country asevidence for use in planning, and identificationand prioritization of strategies. Clear presentationof data and information has proved to bevaluable in generating debate and in-depthdiscussion to identify what action is needed.A third challenge is the need to balance availableresources and local capacity to undertake thesurvey, including adequate training in gatheringsurvey data. Conducting surveys at the householdlevel is a complex task. Quantitative andqualitative questionnaires need to be carefullystructured in order to obtain reliable informationfrom respondents. There is also a need to ensureappropriate and manageable sampling.Meeting the challenges 2004-2007Over the next four years WHO will:> further refine and promote the monitoring anddata collection tools to develop an evidencebasedapproach to policy development.> provide support, where requested, to promotethe process of monitoring and evaluation andassist governments in developing a regularmonitoring process appropriate to countryneeds and available human and financialresources.> promote innovative methods for trainingcountry staff or other concerned groups whocan assist the government in efforts to gatherdata from health facilities and households.OUTCOME INDICATORS1999 2003 2007No. of countries having conducted a national assessmentof their pharmaceutical situation in the last 4 years#REPORTING % TARGET#REPORTING % TARGETna na na 47/90 52% 58%