Availability, Cost and Affordability of Essential Cardiovascular Disease Medicines in the South West Region of Cameroon: Preliminary Findings from the Cameroon Science for Disease study
Cameroon, 2016
Anastase Dzudie, Epie Njume, Martin Abanda, Leopold Aminde, Ba Hamadou, Bonaventure Dzekem, Marcel Azabji, Marie-Solange Doualla, Marcelin Ngowe, Andre P. Kengne
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PreliminaryFindingsfromtheCameroonScienceforDiseasestudy
Title
Availability, Cost and Affordability of Essential Cardiovascular Disease Medicines in the South West Region of Cameroon: Preliminary Findings from the Cameroon Science for Disease study
Country
| Name |
|---|
| Cameroon |
Abstract
Background: More than 80% of premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) occur in low- and middle-income countries. However, access to, and affordability of medications remain a challenge in these countries.
Objective: To assess the availability, cost and affordability of essential cardiovascular medicines in the South West region of Cameroon.
Methods: In an audit of 63 medicine outlets, twenty-six essential medicines were surveyed using the World Health Organisation (WHO) /Health Action International methodology. Availability, costs and the ratio of the median price to the international reference price were evaluated in public, confessional, private facility medicine outlets, and community pharmacies. Affordability was assessed by calculating the number of days' wages it will cost the lowest-paid unskilled government worker to purchase a month worth of chronic treatment.
Findings: Availability ranged from 25.3% (public facility outlets) to 49.2% (community pharmacies) for all medicines. This was higher in urban and semi-urban compared to rural outlets. Cost of medicines was highest in community pharmacies and lowest in public facility outlets. Aspirin, digoxin, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide and nifedipine were affordable (cost a day's wage or less). Medicines for heart failure and dyslipidaemia (beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and statins) required 2-5 days and 6-13 days wages respectively for one month of chronic treatment.
Conclusion: Overall availability of CVD essential medicines was lower than WHO recommendations, and medicines were largely unaffordable. While primary prevention is pivotal, improving availability and affordability of medicines especially for public facilities would provide additional benefit in curbing the CVD burden.
Objective: To assess the availability, cost and affordability of essential cardiovascular medicines in the South West region of Cameroon.
Methods: In an audit of 63 medicine outlets, twenty-six essential medicines were surveyed using the World Health Organisation (WHO) /Health Action International methodology. Availability, costs and the ratio of the median price to the international reference price were evaluated in public, confessional, private facility medicine outlets, and community pharmacies. Affordability was assessed by calculating the number of days' wages it will cost the lowest-paid unskilled government worker to purchase a month worth of chronic treatment.
Findings: Availability ranged from 25.3% (public facility outlets) to 49.2% (community pharmacies) for all medicines. This was higher in urban and semi-urban compared to rural outlets. Cost of medicines was highest in community pharmacies and lowest in public facility outlets. Aspirin, digoxin, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide and nifedipine were affordable (cost a day's wage or less). Medicines for heart failure and dyslipidaemia (beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and statins) required 2-5 days and 6-13 days wages respectively for one month of chronic treatment.
Conclusion: Overall availability of CVD essential medicines was lower than WHO recommendations, and medicines were largely unaffordable. While primary prevention is pivotal, improving availability and affordability of medicines especially for public facilities would provide additional benefit in curbing the CVD burden.
Scope
Keywords
| Keyword |
|---|
| Essential medicines |
| availability |
| cost |
| affordability |
| cardiovascular disease |
Producers and sponsors
Primary investigators
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Anastase Dzudie | Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon |
| Epie Njume | Clinical Research Education, Networking & Consultancy (CRENC), Douala, Cameroon |
| Martin Abanda | Clinical Research Education, Networking & Consultancy (CRENC), Douala, Cameroon |
| Leopold Aminde | Clinical Research Education, Networking & Consultancy (CRENC), Douala, Cameroon |
| Ba Hamadou | Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon |
| Bonaventure Dzekem | Clinical Research Education, Networking & Consultancy (CRENC), Douala, Cameroon |
| Marcel Azabji | Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon |
| Marie-Solange Doualla | Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon |
| Marcelin Ngowe | Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon |
| Andre P. Kengne | Non-communicable Disease Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa |
Data Collection
Dates of Data Collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2016-02-01 | 2016-04-30 |