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Chapter 21 - Enhancing Equitable Access to Essential Medicines and Health Technologies

from Section 2 - Transforming Health Systems: Confronting Challenges, Seizing Opportunities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 December 2022

By
Veronika J. Wirtz  and
Raffaella Ravinetto
Edited by
Sameen Siddiqi ,
Awad Mataria ,
Katherine D. Rouleau  and
Meesha Iqbal
Sameen Siddiqi
Affiliation:
Aga Khan University
Awad Mataria
Affiliation:
World Health Organization, Egypt
Katherine D. Rouleau
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Meesha Iqbal
Affiliation:
UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston
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Summary

Pharmaceutical systems are a core part of health systems, and their failure to work adequately severely undermines the performance of the entire health system. The view that medicines are mere commodities managed for technical aspects by the national regulatory authority, disregards the role and need for a comprehensive and multidisciplinary system to ensure access to essential medicines. This has serious consequences, as it leaves key functions underfunded and under-represented in national and international platforms where decisions related to health care systems and for achievement of UHC are made. Key strategies to strengthen pharmaceutical systems have been extensively described, but their effective implementation requires political commitment, institutional oversight and adequate financial allocation to each function, including quality assurance, financing, supply and transparency among others. Assessing pharmaceutical systems is often neglected but essential for promoting an effective health system as well as population health. The Chapter presents some key performance measures that countries should routinely apply to measure and report on the performance of pharmaceutical systems and on their good governance.

Keywords

MedicinesPharmaceutical systemsSystem performanceEquityGovernanceUniversal health coverageL&MIC
Type
Chapter
Information
Making Health Systems Work in Low and Middle Income Countries
Textbook for Public Health Practitioners
 , pp. 320 - 335
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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