UNFPA, Jumia ink deal to boost countrywide access to reproductive health products

Press release -- UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency and Jumia Uganda, the country’s largest e-commerce platform announced a new partnership that aims to increase access to reproductive health commodities and information through Jumia’s platform.

Consumers will conveniently and privately have access to a wide range of reproductive health commodities including male and female condoms, HIV self-test kits, pregnancy test kits and Maternity Kits (Mama kits).

UNFPA and Jumia will also leverage Jumia’s large reach to disseminate information on sexual reproductive health, targeting young people and women.

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the health and safety of women and young people.

Uganda, like many other countries, continues to grapple with the disruptions in sexual and reproductive health services and restricted access to contraceptives, caused by the pandemic.

In response to the crisis, UNFPA is working with trusted partners including Jumia, to ensure women and girls can access sexual and reproductive health services, and strengthen supply chains for contraceptives.

“The health and safety of our customers is a top priority for us. This partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) puts us in a unique position to step up and offer consumers a platform to access health products in a safe, private and convenient manner,” said Ron Kawamara, the chief executive officer of Jumia Uganda.

“To ensure sustained access to these products during the COVID-19 pandemic, all reproductive health items ordered through the reproductive health category on our platform will be delivered across Uganda free of charge until January 2021.”

Alain Sibenaler, the UNFPA Representative in Uganda, noted that the partnership with Jumia is one of the ways that UNFPA is stepping up to protect the right to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

“Our partnership with Jumia is part of our efforts to change the narrative when it comes to accessing sexual reproductive health and rights. We are committed to finding innovative ways to enable us to reach even more women and young people who would otherwise be denied their right to access SRHR services,” said Sibenaler.

“We are building on our ongoing initiatives to expand the possibilities of using digital solutions to solve real-time problems. This type of digital solution is particularly vital right now as we respond to the challenge of COVID-19," he explained.

To order for a product, a user has to download the Jumia app or log onto their website.

They then place an order from the Reproductive Health category on the e-commerce platform and pay using a card, mobile money or via cash on delivery.

Once this is done, the Jumia driver picks up the item and delivers it to the user. Thereafter users will still be able to purchase reproductive health commodities using the Personal Health e-shop from pharmacies listed on the shop app and pay a nominal delivery fee.