WHO, Health Action International for Africa, Release Report of Medicine Prices Surveys in Selected African Countries

Brazzaville, 20 October 2006 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International for Africa (HAI Africa) have published a summary report of findings from medicine price surveys undertaken in 2004 and 2005, using the WHO/HAI price survey methodology.

Data collected on the price and availability of medicines in 11 African countries showed that the surveyed medicines were generally expensive, barely available in public health facilities, and, where available in private sector outlets, they were priced beyond the reach of the majority of the population.

“Prices of originator brands of medicine found in private sector outlets were found to be as much as seven times higher than the prices of their generic equivalents,” said Dr Alimata J. Diarra-Nama, Director of Health Systems and Services Development at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

She illustrated her point, for example, in one of the countries surveyed, the lowest paid unskilled government worker would have to work for more than four days to buy from private pharmacies the least expensive version of a month of treatment to treat childhood asthma.

“Given the fact that price is a major barrier to access to medicines, the findings of the surveys suggest the need for stronger advocacy to improve affordability as well as the development and implementation of appropriate national medicine policies and strategies, Dr Diarra-Nama said.

Generally, the findings of the surveys show a lack of consistency in the pricing of medicines within regions and sectors in countries, and the existence of considerable price variations across countries surveyed.

The major survey findings were discussed at various national and inter-country workshops which made recommendations on strategic approaches to make medicine prices more affordable. Among these are:

• improving availability of medicines in the public sector;
• promoting generic prescription and substitution of medicines;
• improving availability and appropriate use of generic medicines;
• providing reliable information on medicine prices;
• improving efficiency of medicine supply and procurement systems;
• undertaking continuous monitoring of procurement and prices paid by patients and regularly providing governments and consumers with up-to-date information on the prices of medicine and
• removing import taxes and levies on essential medicines.

PS: The medicine price survey reports for Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, United Republic of Tanzania; Uganda and a multi-country comparison of the Member States of the East African Community are now available at http://www.afro.who.int/dsd/index.html. Medicine price survey reports from other countries will be posted on our website in due course.

For more information contact: 

Technical contact

Dr. Jean-Marie Trapsida 

Coordinator, Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy

Tel: + 47 241 39258 

E-mail: trapsidaj [at] afro.who.int (trapsidaj[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Media Contact 

Samuel T. Ajibola

Tel: + 47 241 39378

Email : ajibolas [at] afro.who (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who)