THE CHALLENGES & OPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS TO MEDICINES IN AFRICA Dr Pascoal MOCUMBI, orig Mozambique,High Representative EDCTP ABRASCO/WFPHA
Mar 26, 2015
THE CHALLENGES & OPORTUNITIES OF ACCESS TO
MEDICINES IN AFRICA
Dr Pascoal MOCUMBI, orig Mozambique,High Representative
EDCTP ABRASCO/WFPHA
Access to essential drugs is increasing -yet too many people still lack access
1 = <50% (36)2 = 50-80% (68)3 = 80-95% (33)4 = >95% (41)5 = No data available (1)
INEQUITABLE ACCESS
About 30% of world’s population lacks regular access to essential medicines
Over 50% are in poorest parts of Africa & Asia In low and middle income 50% -90% of medicines are
paid for by patients themselves, whereas in many high-income countries 70% are publicly funded
Africa’s Problems
Poverty Heavy disease burden Poor and inadequate infrastructure Lack of capacity to R&D medicines
OPPORTUNITIES
AU/NEPAD Strategy to accelerate Africa’s self-sustained growth and promote long-term sustainable human development + health systems development
Innovative knowledge based partnerships to accelerate development of new medicines/technologies for poverty related diseases, such as, AMANET, EDCTP, The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, DNDI,etc
Positive Results in some countries – adoption and implementation of strategies for securing access to medicines and technologies
Strategy For Securing Access To Essential Drugs
Assessment & development – therapeutic access Affordability – financial access Availability – supply access
Drug financing alternatives
Public financing Out-of-pocket spending Health insurance Donor financing Development loans
Meeting drug financing challenges
Improving health services public financing Reducing out-of-pocket purchases Improving health insurance Making ODA and loans sustainable, through investment
in sustainable drug services
Managing drug prices
Generic drugs: competition + quality; professional & public acceptance
Patented new drugs: containing prices while promoting innovation; exploring price reduction for countries most in need
All drugs: increasing financial resources; reducing mark ups
Supply to public health facilities
Central medical stores (CMS) Autonomous medical stores = “privatised CMS” Primary distributor system: centralised, privatised Direct delivery system: decentralised, private Fully private
Private Sector Supply Systems
Driven by profit Mainly urban based for profit wholesalers and retail
pharmacies A number of not-for-profit generic wholesale agencies:
e.g. UNICEF, IDA,… Funding: mainly out-of-pocket expenses Affordability is a major challenge
Future Challenges: optimising public/private mix
Public sector: financing supply system; appropriate supply systems; health sector reforms:\improving efficiency and reducing waste e.g. decentralization
Private sector: geographic coverage in low income countries; affordability/costs and local production
CONCLUSIONS
Governments role is crucial Strategies with proved success must be used effectively Creativity is needed, especially for managing prices and
improving supply systems An optimal public-private mix is needed for drug
development, financing, and supply THANKS!