[afro-nets] African experts discuss national medicine pricing policies

["Elizabeth Amailuk" <elizabeth@jelani.biz>]

African experts discuss national medicine pricing policies
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- Medicine price survey results released for 11 African countries
- Advocacy toolkit launched to equip civil society to take action in working for more affordable medicines 
- More information on http://www.haiafrica.org
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Experts from around Africa have been meeting in Nairobi from September 26-28 to discuss how to create national pricing policies to improve the affordability of medicines.

Up to half the people who live in the poorest countries of Africa cannot get the medicines they need, and cost often makes the difference between whether a person can afford the best recommended treatment for their illness, part of the treatment, or no treatment at all.

In a workshop organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI) Africa, and held at the Safari Park Hotel, representatives came from Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. All 10 countries have recently concluded surveys of medicine prices, using a methodology developed by WHO and HAI. The participants at the three-day meeting included officials from health ministries, the WHO, officials in charge of national health insurance schemes and civil society.

Following several presentations from experts on taxes and tariffs, margins and markups, the participants split up into groups to discuss how to apply price policies in their countries - for example, how much of a markup importers, wholesalers and retailers of medicines should be permitted to gain from their transactions.

The surveys have provided reliable and comprehensive information on the Prices that African people, and their governments, are paying for medicines, and on the various add-ons and mark-ups that contribute to the final cost of a medicine.

In these countries where large parts of the population live on less than $2 a day, a course of treatment for common illnesses such as asthma, HIV, malaria, diabetes or hypertension can cost a significant chunk of a month's wages. 

The survey methodology has enabled comparisons to be made within Countries (across sectors) and between countries. It also allows for the measurement of affordability, by relating the cost of medicines to the salary of the country's lowest paid government worker. It can, therefore, be seen how many days' work it would take someone at such an income level to buy the treatment they need.

The surveys have been done in over 30 countries across the world, including 13 in Africa. These include: Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. 

Developing medicine pricing policies is among the recommendations that came out of these surveys are now being implemented, and it is hoped that this process will be an integral part of the ongoing work of governments and their partners to increase access to essential medicines for all people, especially for the most poor and vulnerable.

More information on the survey results in African countries, as well as the advocacy toolkit, can be found on:
http://www.haiafrica.org

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Elizabeth Amailuk
Health Action International (HAI) Africa
mailto:elizabeth@jelani.biz