Of this, about $25m is dedicated to the procurement and distribution of selected essential medicines. The EU first secretary of health and social sectors, Jorge Pereiro Pinon, confirmed the aid at the launch of the second annual EU-African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and the World Health Organisation renewed partnership meeting here recently.
"The overall budget of the renewed partnership amounts to 10.8 million Euros. Access to medicines remains a major health policy challenge for a number of countries with limited availability, high prices and the significant share of false, sub-standard or counterfeit products and the associated health threat that they represent, is still a reality that needs to be tackled,” said Pinon.
WHO estimates that between 20 to 30 percent of the world population do not have access to medicine. It also estimates that health care systems in medium and low income countries like Zimbabwe spend an enormous amount – between 30 to 50 percent of their entire budget – on medicines and medical products.
Meanwhile, the 2013 National Medicines Survey noted a 10 percent decline (from 76 percent to 66.5 percent) in vital medicines available in the country as compared to the previous survey in 2011.
Minister of Health David Parirenyatwa attributed this to inadequate capacity of the National Pharmaceutical Agency.
“This is pushing our people to resort to unorthodox means to get treatment. I have seen people using expired drugs and 80 percent of Zimbabweans use traditional medicines. These findings provide further ammunition to the ministry to lobby for more funding to capacitate NatPharm,” he said.
Parirenyatwa said lack of transport and communication in rural areas was also hindering health coverage.
Post published in: News