Essential Medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population. They are selected with due regard to public health relevance, evidence on efficacy, safety and comparative cost-effectiveness. This edition of the
...
Essential Medicines List (EML) 2017 for Ghana has been derived from its companion Standard Treatment Guidelines 2017 to ensure harmony in treatment, procurement and re-imbursements. The medicines listed have been coded according to the Health Commodity
Codes Catalogue of the Ministry of Health (2008) and their levels of use, based on the type of health facility, including midwifery practice, have been indicated.
more
Agodokpessi et al. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (2015) 8:12DOI 10.1186/s40545-015-0033-7
Benin established a revolving drug fund (RDF) for essential asthma medicines in 2008. We evaluated
the operation of the RDF and assessed wh
...
ether there was interruption of supply of asthma medicine from 2008 to
2013.
more
Background
Access to medicines is important for long‐term care of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. This study provides a cross‐country assessment of availability, prices, and affordability of cardiovascular disease and hypertension medicines to identify areas for improvement in access
...
to medication treatment.
Methods and Results
We used the World Health Organization online repository of national essential medicines lists (EMLs) for 53 countries to transcribe the information on the inclusion of 12 cardiovascular disease/hypertension medications within each country's essential medicines list. Data on availability, price, and affordability were obtained from 84 surveys in 59 countries that used the World Health Organization's Health Action International survey methodology. We summarized and compared the indicators across lowest‐price generic and originator brand medicines in the public and private sectors and by country income groups. The average availability of the select medications was 54% in low‐ and lower‐middle‐income countries and 60% in high‐ and upper‐middle‐income countries, and was higher for generic (61%) than brand medicines (41%). The average patient median price ratio was 80.3 for brand and 16.7 for generic medicines and was higher for patients in low‐ and lower‐middle‐income countries compared with high‐ and upper‐middle‐income countries across all medicine categories. The costs of 1 month's antihypertensive medications were, on average, 6.0 days’ wage for brand medicine and 1.8 days’ wage for generics. Affordability was lower in low‐ and lower‐middle‐income countries than high‐ and upper‐middle‐income countries for both brand and generic medications.
Conclusions
The availability and accessibility of pharmaceuticals is an ongoing challenge for health systems. Low availability and high costs are major barriers to the use of and adherence to essential cardiovascular disease and antihypertensive medications worldwide, particularly in low‐ and lower‐middle‐income countries.
more
This document was prepared in response to a need to review and potentially update the current recommendations for the antibiotic treatment of both inpatient and outpatient management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The current recommendations (Table 1) are based on guidelines published in 2013 i
...
n the WHO Pocketbook for Hospital Care for Children, and the 2013 update on SAM (outpatient management). The global threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance and new data on efficacy and safety profiles requires a re-review of the current evidence to ensure recommendations are the most appropriate. The evidence base for the use of antibiotics in children presenting with uncomplicated SAM has been recently enlarged.
more
The objective of this book is to provide health workers with easily accessible information on important aspects of the medicines commonly used at primary care level in Zimbabwe. Medicines are a crucial part of the management of most of our patients, yet many medicines are potentially dangerous if no
...
t used correctly (by either prescriber or patient). It is important to have up-to-date information not only on the indications for, and the dose of a particular medicine, but also the contra-indications and reasons for special care, possible side effects and interactions with other medicine or medicines. The patient must also have information on how to use the preparation, what side effects may occur, and when to return for help.
more
Essential Drug list on page 36!!
The 6th edition of the essential medicine list has been developed based on the 5th edition list of essential medicines, the National Standard Treat
...
ment Guidelines and Protocols 2013, list of laboratory commodities and List of Consumables used in public health facilities.
more
Updated 10 August 2020
This document presents an essential medicines list (EML) to manage patients in intensive care units (ICUs) with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, which includes active ingredients with dosage form and concentration,
...
and are preferably in the WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines 2019; based on clinical presentations and symptoms identified and prioritized in World Health Organization (WHO) and Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines and the evidence presented in these guidelines.
more
In September, 2018, the first international Medicine Quality and Public Health Conference was held at Oxford University, UK, to discuss opportunities and solutions to ensure that all people have access to affordable and quality-assured medical produ
...
cts. Delegates developed the short Oxford Statement, calling for investment, policy change, and action to eliminate substandard and falsified medical products. The statement was born out of discussion between governments, national and international agencies, non-governmental organisations, professional associations, and academic institutions who together examined the latest evidence on the epidemiology and public health implications of substandard and falsified medical products.
more
Chapter 16: Managing medicine selection - Key topics: the concept of essential medicines; selection of essential medicines and development of
...
essential medicines lists, formularies, and treatment guidelines. - The rationale for selecting a limited number of essential medicines is that it may lead to better supply, more rational use, and lower costs.
more
The clinical guidelines and protocols for the practice of emergency medicine presented in this document are designed to be a useful resource not only for those wishing to become emergency medicine s
...
pecialists, but also for general practitioners and other healthcare providers tasked with caring for patients in hospital emergency departments. Healthcare providers using this Emergency Medicine Clinical Guideline (EMCG) are provided with fundamental concepts and principles essential to emergency medicine and the management of patients with undifferentiated emergency conditions.
more
Primary Care: The Community Health System
The pharmaceutical sector of any nation is responsible for providing society with quality medicines and other pharmaceutical services. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pharmaceuticals may constitute as much as 40% of the national health budget in developing countries, yet portions o
...
f the population may lack access to the most essential medicines; while the limited funds available for health are spent on unnecessary, ineffective and even dangerous medications.
more
Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is one of the greatest child survival challenges in the world today and
reportedly affects more than 16.2 million children each year1. High impact, proven treatment interventions exist
yet sadly approximately only 3.2 million children with SAM have access to treatme
...
nt each year2. Thus, there
is a need to scale up interventions to improve coverage and access across high burden countries. While efforts
are currently underway to expand services in many countries, obstacles remain.
One critical barrier to expanding SAM treatment services is the acceptance, accessibility and utilisation of
ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF). In some countries and contexts, RUTF is still not fully accepted by
community members; while other countries face problems with procurement, storage and supply chain
management which impact on availability and use3. Reports from Ghana and Zambia highlighted that stock-
outs and logistical challenges are often noted as key contributors to high default rates in outpatient treatment
centres4.
more
Reviewed Essential Medicines List July 2021
The essential medicines are those that meet the priority needs of the healthcare of the population. While reviewing the 5th edition of the essential Medicines, special attention focused on the heal
...
th sector policy. Indeed, medicines play an important role in protecting, maintaining and restoring the peoples’ health and credibility of health facilities. Their availability is a fundamental aspect of primary health care as defined in different declarations including Alma-Ata of 1978.
more