Kangwana, Beth B; Njogu, Julius; Wasunna, Beatrice; Kedenge, Sarah V; Memusi, Dorothy N; Goodman, Catherine A; Zurovac, Dejan; Snow, Robert W; (2009) Malaria drug shortages in Kenya: a major failure to provide access to effective treatment. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 80 (5). pp. 737-738. ISSN 0002-9637 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2009.80.737
Permanent Identifier
Use this Digital Object Identifier when citing or linking to this resource.
Abstract
A key bench mark of successful therapeutic policy implementation, and thus effectiveness, is that the recommended drugs are available at the point of care. Two years after artemether-lumefathrine (AL) was introduced for the management of uncomplicated malaria in Kenya, we carried out a cross-sectional survey to investigate AL availability in government facilities in seven malaria-endemic districts. One of four of the surveyed facilities had none of the four AL weight-specific treatment packs in stock; three of four facilities were out of stock of at least one weight-specific AL pack, leading health workers to prescribe a range of inappropriate alternatives. The shortage was in large part caused by a delayed procurement process. National ministries of health and the international community must address the current shortcomings facing antimalarial drug supply to the public sector.
Item Type | Article |
---|---|
Keywords | Antimalarials, supply & distribution, Artemisinins, supply & distribution, Cross-Sectional Studies, Drug Combinations, Drug Packaging, Ethanolamines, supply & distribution, Fluorenes, supply & distribution, Government Regulation, Health Facilities, standards, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, International Cooperation, Kenya, epidemiology, Malaria, epidemiology, prevention & control, Public Health Administration, standards |
Faculty and Department | Faculty of Public Health and Policy > Dept of Global Health and Development |
Research Centre | Malaria Centre |
PubMed ID | 19407116 |
ISI | 265898800011 |
Related URLs |
Download
Filename: Malaria Drug Shortages in Kenya_GOLD VoR.pdf
Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0
Download