Uganda level II surveys on access to medicines

Posted on 4 January 2010

Results of the 2008 level II surveys on access to medicines in Uganda have been validated. Two reports have been made public. One is on access to and use of medicines, and the other is an assessment of the pharmaceutical situation at health facility level.

The first report, 'Access to and use of medicines by households in Uganda',  is a nationwide study, conducted by the Ministry of Health,  to document access to and use of medicines by the population and across socio-economic levels. This study was conducted using the standardised methodology developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The study sought to answer the following questions:

• How do people perceive geographic access, affordability and quality of medicines?
• Are medicines geographically accessible? Are there differences between urban, and rural or remote areas?
• Are medicines available in public health care facilities?
• Are medicines affordable for the treatment of common acute and chronic conditions, and especially for people with low income?
• How widespread is medicines insurance coverage?
• Who does prescribe medicines and where do households buy medicines?
• Is the use of medicines rational?
• How does Uganda compare with other countries with regards to access to and use of medicines?

The second report is an assessment of the pharmaceutical situation. It was carried out nationally in public and mission health facilities, private drug outlets, and warehouses supplying the country’s public sector. The main aim was to document the degree of success in achieving strategic national pharmaceutical objectives, using a standard methodology developed by the WHO and Health Action International (HAI) to assess the pharmaceutical situation at the health facility level (level II Assessment).

This study sought to answer the following questions:

• Are medicines available and affordable in public and private dispensing facilities to treat common conditions at primary care level?
• Do people have adequate geographical access to public and private dispensing facilities?
• Are there expired medicines in public and private dispensing facilities?
• Are medicines adequately stored and handled in public health facility dispensaries and warehouses supplying the public sector?
• Are medicines adequately prescribed, labelled and dispensed?
• Are patients informed on how to use their medicines?
• Are pharmacists present at dispensing facilities according to the law?
• Are pharmacists present at dispensing facilities?
• Which professionals are prescribing and dispensing?
• Do prescribers comply with good prescribing practices?
• How does Uganda compare with other countries with regard to access to and use of medicines?

Work on the surveys was funded by the WHO and supported by the European Union, and commenced before the launch of MeTA Uganda.

Access to and use of medicines by households in Uganda

Pharmaceutical situation assessment - level II - health facilities survey in Uganda