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Grossman A, Prata N, Williams N, Ganatra B, Lavelanet A, Läser L, Asmani C, Elamin H, Ouedraogo L, Rahman MM, Conneh-Duworko MJ, Tehoungue BZ, Chanza H, Phiri H, Bhattarai B, Dhakal NP, Ojo OA, Afolabi K, Kabuteni TJ, Hailu BG, Moses F, Dlamini-Nqeketo S, Zulu T, Rehnström Loi U. Availability of medical abortion medicines in eight countries: a descriptive analysis of key findings and opportunities. Reprod Health 2023; 20:58. [PMID: 37041543 PMCID: PMC10091522 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-023-01574-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years a growing number of manufacturers and medical abortion products have entered country markets and health systems, with varying degrees of quality and accessibility. An interplay of factors including pharmaceutical regulations, abortion laws, government policies and service delivery guidelines and provider's knowledge and practices influence the availability of medical abortion medicines. We assessed the availability of medical abortion in eight countries to increase understanding among policymakers of the need to improve availability and affordability of quality-assured medical abortion products at regional and national levels. METHODS Using a national assessment protocol and an availability framework, we assessed the availability of medical abortion medicines in Bangladesh, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and South Africa between September 2019 and January 2020. RESULTS Registration of abortion medicines-misoprostol or a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol-was established in all countries assessed, except Rwanda. Mifepristone and misoprostol regimen for medical abortion was identified on the national essential medicines list/standard treatment guidelines for South Africa as well as in specific abortion care service and delivery guidelines for Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, and Rwanda. In Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone-countries with highly restrictive abortion laws and no abortion service delivery guidelines or training curricula-no government-supported training on medical abortion for public sector providers had occurred. Instead, training on medical abortion was either limited in scope to select private sector providers and pharmacists or prohibited. Community awareness activities on medical abortion have been limited in scope across the countries assessed and where abortion is broadly legal, most women do not know that it is an option. CONCLUSION Understanding the factors that influence the availability of medical abortion medicines is important to support policymakers improve availability of these medicines. The landscape assessments documented that medical abortion commodities can be uniquely impacted by the laws, policies, values, and degree of restrictions placed on service delivery programs. Results of the assessments can guide actions to improve access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Grossman
- Venture Strategies for Health & Development/OASIS, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ndola Prata
- Venture Strategies for Health & Development/OASIS, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Bixby Center for Population, Health & Sustainability, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Natalie Williams
- Venture Strategies for Health & Development/OASIS, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Bela Ganatra
- UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Antonella Lavelanet
- UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurence Läser
- UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chilanga Asmani
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Hayfa Elamin
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Leopold Ouedraogo
- World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | | | | | - Harriet Chanza
- World Health Organization, Malawi Country Office, Lilongwe, Republic of Malawi
| | - Henry Phiri
- Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, Republic of Malawi
| | - Bharat Bhattarai
- Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | | | - Kayode Afolabi
- Reproductive Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria
| | | | | | - Francis Moses
- Reproductive Health/Family Planning Programme Manager, Ministry of Health, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Thembi Zulu
- National Department of Health, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
| | - Ulrika Rehnström Loi
- UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Rehnström Loi U, Prata N, Grossman A, Lavelanet A, Williams N, Ganatra B. In-country availability of medical abortion medicines: a description of the framework and methodology of the WHO landscape assessments. Reprod Health 2023; 20:20. [PMID: 36694182 PMCID: PMC9875387 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-022-01530-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Availability of quality-assured medical abortion medicines plays a crucial role in providing comprehensive abortion care. However, access to these medicines is still restricted for many abortion seekers. Increasing availability of affordable, quality-assured mifepristone and misoprostol is important to improve access to safe medical abortion services. Driven by the outcomes of a global consultation hosted by the World Health Organization and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency in 2018, we decided to holistically examine access to medical abortion medicines from supply to demand. The overarching principle of the national landscape assessments was to generate evidence to support policy dialog and policymaking that is contextual to the needs of the country. This paper aims to describe the framework and methodological approach used in the World Health Organization landscape assessments of medical abortion medicines at country-level. METHODS A country assessment protocol was developed to guide the methodology of the World Health Organization landscape assessments. The assessment protocol included adaptation of an existing availability framework, an online desk review and literature review for existing data available for the country of interest, country-level key informant interviews, and analysis of the data to identify barriers and opportunities to improve medical abortion availability. CONCLUSION The availability framework and methodology will allow the identification of key barriers that limit readiness of medical abortion medicines, and the development of opportunities to overcome those barriers. The national landscape assessments will provide directions for future investments and offer guidance for policy and programming on medical abortion care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrika Rehnström Loi
- UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Ndola Prata
- Venture Strategies for Health & Development/OASIS, Berkeley, CA USA ,grid.47840.3f0000 0001 2181 7878Bixby Center for Population, Health & Sustainability, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Amy Grossman
- Venture Strategies for Health & Development/OASIS, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Antonella Lavelanet
- grid.3575.40000000121633745UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Natalie Williams
- Venture Strategies for Health & Development/OASIS, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Bela Ganatra
- grid.3575.40000000121633745UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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