Abstract
BackgroundAccess to health care is a fundamental human right, and the provision of affordable, high-quality, and appropriate medicines for maternal and child health is a vital component of a well-functioning health system. The study assessed the availability, price, and affordability of WHO priority maternal and child medicines in public health facilities, Dessie, North-East Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted in Dessie town from November 2018 to February 2019. A standard checklist adapted from the Logistics Indicator Assessment Tool and WHO/HAI was used to collecting data on the availability, affordability, and price of 45 priority life-saving medicines from eight public health centers and two public hospitals. Descriptive statistics (percent and median) were computed for availability and prices. Affordability was reported in terms of the daily wage of the lowest-paid unskilled government worker.ResultsTwenty-two medicines were not found at all in public health facilities. The overall availability of WHO priority maternal and child medicines was 34.02%. The mean number of stock-outs was 3.9, and the mean number was 128.9 days. The mean average point availability was 33.5%, and 7 medicines stock out on the days of assessment. From WHO priority maternal and child medicines, 4 (40%) of the products were unaffordable and 5 (55.5%) had higher prices than international prices. Ceftriaxone 1 g, ceftriaxone 500 mg, and hydralazine 20 mg injection required wages of 6.58, 8.01, and 5.02 to cover specific maternal health problems respectively. The median price ratio of priority lifesaving maternal and child medicines in public health facilities ranged from 0.65 to 3.19.ConclusionsThe average mean period and point mean availability was very low. The available products were encountered with a high number of stock-outs and unaffordable. The strict control of inventory is recommended to have a steady supply of these essential medicines and improve the quality of health services.
Highlights
Access to health care is a fundamental human right, and the provision of affordable, high-quality, and appropriate medicines for maternal and child health is a vital component of a well-functioning health system
Accessing essential medicines that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population is the backbone of the health care and well-being of individuals and populations [2]
The United Nations Population Fund and World Health Organization (WHO) launched the global list of priority medicines for mothers based on a global burden of disease and the evidence of efficacy and safety for preventing or treating maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity [3]
Summary
Access to health care is a fundamental human right, and the provision of affordable, high-quality, and appropriate medicines for maternal and child health is a vital component of a well-functioning health system. Maternal and child health (MCH) focuses on the determinants, mechanisms, and systems that promote and maintain the health, safety well-being, and appropriate development of children and their mothers in communities and societies to enhance the future health and welfare of society and subsequent generations [1]. Lack of access to essential medicines for MCH remains a major challenge in many developing countries, where more than half of their populations lack access to essential medicines [5]. This will inevitably constrain efforts to reduce mortality and improve the health of children and mothers [6]
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