Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29163976›Full record

ArticleJournal of pharmaceutical policy and practice2017

Availability, prices and affordability of UN Commission's lifesaving medicines for reproductive and maternal health in Uganda.

Denis Kibira, Freddy Eric Kitutu, Gemma Buckland Merrett, Aukje K Mantel-Teeuwisse

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Denis KibiraWHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Freddy Eric KitutuMakerere University, School of Public Health and Pharmacy Department, College of Health Sciences, PO Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
Gemma Buckland MerrettHealth Action International, Overtoom 60 (2), 1054 HK Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Aukje K Mantel-TeeuwisseWHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Health Action International · NLMakerere University · UGPharmo Institute · NLUtrecht University · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUganda was one of seven countries in which the United Nations Commission on Life Saving Commodities (UNCoLSC) initiative was implemented starting from 2013. A nationwide survey was conducted in 2015 to determine availability, prices and affordability of essential UNCoLSC maternal and reproductive health (MRH) commodities.

methodsThe survey at health facilities in Uganda was conducted using an adapted version of the standardized methodology co-developed by World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI). In this study, six maternal and reproductive health commodities, that were part of the UNCoLSC initiative, were studied in the public, private and mission health sectors. Median price ratios were calculated with Management Sciences for Health International Drug Price Indicator prices as reference. Maternal and reproductive health commodity stocks were reviewed from stock cards for their availability for a period of 6 months preceding the survey. Affordability was measured using wages of the lowest paid government worker.

resultsOverall none of the six maternal and reproductive commodities was found in the surveyed health facilities. Public sector had the highest availability (52%), followed by mission sector (36%) and then private sector had the least (30%). Stock outs ranged from 7 to 21 days in public sector; 2 to 23 days in private sector and 3 to 27 days in mission sector. During the survey, maternal health commodities were more available and had less number of stock out days than reproductive health commodities. Median price ratios (MPR) indicated that medicines and commodities were more expensive in Uganda compared to international reference prices. Furthermore, MRH medicines and commodities were more expensive and less affordable in private sector compared to mission sector.

conclusionAccess to MRH commodities is inadequate in Uganda. Maternal health commodities were more available, cheaper and thus more affordable than reproductive health commodities in the current study. Efforts should be undertaken by the Ministry of Health and stakeholders to improve availability, prices and affordability of MRH commodities in Uganda to ensure that sustainable Development Goals are met.

Identifiers

PMID29163976
PMCPMC5686951
OpenAlexW2766520516

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.