PSI and Wyeth Partner to Improve Access to Family Planning in Africa

YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon - PSI Medical Delegates from nine countries converged at PSI's office in Yaoundé, Cameroon for a week-long contraceptive sales training given by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. PSI's Medical Delegates specialize in sales of pharmaceutical products to medical providers. Wyeth supplies US Agency for International Development with Duofem oral contraceptives, social marketed by PSI programs around the world.

The training was part of a broader effort to increase access to contraceptives, enhance local capacity to develop and manage sustainable family planning programs, and encourage cross-fertilization between PSI programs. Two seasoned trainers from Wyeth France contributed their time to conduct the workshop, which was adapted to include considerations specific to contraceptive use in West and Central Africa. Wyeth's US-based Assistant Vice President for Sales Training and Management also joined the workshop for two days.

The training focused on improving Customer Focus Selling skills and combined hands-on practice in initiating contacts, planning sales calls, listening skills, formulating productive questions to obtain key information, and analyzing visits to inform FP program strategies.

Given the central role of providers in women's use of and satisfaction with a family planning method, sales visits also provide an opportunity to address provider concerns and reinforce provider knowledge and client counseling skills. This is especially the case in many developing countries, where misinformation and fears about the safety of family planning products constitute a considerable barrier to their use.