• The price that a patient has to pay for key drugs was found to be 43% more in a private dispensing drug outlet than that in a public health facility6
• There is a large price variation between private dispensing drug outlets for the same items: 10% were selling a 600mg vial of benzylpenicillin for less than US$ 0.15 and 28% of the outlets were selling the same item for more than US$ 0.46 (i.e. 3 times the public sector price)
6 The public health facility drug price is the cost of the drug from NMS or JMS Price catalogue and not the cost paid by the patient as drugs are dispensed free of charge in public health facilities. This cost refers to what it costs the public health facility to provide the drug to patients.
Drug |
Dosage form and strength |
Unit size |
Median price US$ |
% difference between prices |
| |
|
|
Public health facility |
Private drug outlet |
|
Benzylpenicillin |
Injection
600mg
(1 MU) |
1 |
0.23 |
0.36 |
57% |
Amoxicillin |
Suspension
125mg/5ml |
100ml |
0.67 |
0.83 |
24% |
Cotrimoxazole (sulphamethoxazole + trimethoprim) |
Suspension
200mg + 40mg/5ml |
100ml |
0.54 |
0.81 |
50% |
Average |
|
|
|
|
43% |
Comparison of median prices of the 3 indicator drugs in public health facilities and private dispensing drug outlets
Price of benzylpenicillin in private dispensing drug outlets
Price of amoxicillin in private dispensing drug outlets
|
Recommendation
Design, establish and maintain a system for the regular monitoring and effective dissemination of the cost of essential drugs to both suppliers and consumers to foster price awareness and ensure the availability of essential drugs to the community at the minimum possible prices
|
