ArticleBMJ open2020
Availability and prices of medicines for non-communicable diseases at health facilities and retail drug outlets in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey in eight counties.
Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Diabetes mellitus service preparedness and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Pooled it
- Fortifying essential medicines supply chains in Sub-Saharan Africa - the curious cases of Kenya and Uganda.Global health action · 2026Review
- Exploring factors affecting access to non-communicable disease medicines in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- National availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines: a comprehensive analysis using WHO/HAI methodology in Chad.The Pan African medical journal · 2025Article
- Access to essential medicines for noncommunicable diseases during conflicts: The case cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and epilepsy in Northern Syria.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Managing diabetes and hypertension in western Kenya: A qualitative study of experiences of patients supported by the primary health integrated care for chronic conditions (PIC4C) model of care.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- The role of the private sector in noncommunicable disease prevention and management in low- and middle-income countries: a series of systematic reviews and thematic syntheses.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2023Review
- Are outpatient costs for hypertension and diabetes care affordable? Evidence from Western Kenya.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2023Article
- Community engagement to inform development of strategies to improve referral for hypertension: perspectives of patients, providers and local community members in western Kenya.BMC health services research · 2023Article
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- Evaluating the effectiveness of the National Health Insurance Fund in providing financial protection to households with hypertension and diabetes patients in Kenya.International journal for equity in health · 2023Article
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- Health system adaptions to improve care for people living with non-communicable diseases during COVID-19 in low-middle income countries: A scoping review.Journal of global health · 2023Article
- Assessing the Readiness to Provide Integrated Management of Cardiovascular Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes in Kenya: Results from a National Survey.Global heart · 2023Article
- Readiness of health facilities to deliver non-communicable diseases services in Kenya: a national cross-sectional survey.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- Patients Access to Medicines - A Critical Review of the Healthcare System in Kenya.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2022Review
- Implementing essential diagnostics-learning from essential medicines: A scoping review.PLOS global public health · 2022Article
- Factors associated with the availability and affordability of essential cardiovascular disease medicines in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.PLOS global public health · 2022Article
- Socioeconomic Inequity in the Screening and Treatment of Hypertension in Kenya: Evidence From a National Survey.Frontiers in health services · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe objective of this study was to determine the availability and prices of medicines for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in health facilities and private for-profit drug outlets in Kenya.
designCross-sectional study.
methodsAll public and non-profit health facilities in eight counties (Embu, Kakamega, Kwale, Makueni, Narok, Nyeri, Samburu and West Pokot) that purchased medicines from the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies, a major wholesaler, were surveyed in September 2016. For each health facility, one nearby private for-profit drug outlet was also surveyed. Data on availability and price were analysed for 24 NCD and 8 acute medicine formulations. Availability was analysed separately for medicines in the national Essential Medicines List (EML) and those in the Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs). Median price ratios were estimated using the International Medical Products Price Guide as a reference.
results59 public and 78 non-profit facilities and 135 drug outlets were surveyed. Availability of NCD medicines was highest in private for-profit drug outlets (61.7% and 29.3% for medicines on the EML and STGs, respectively). Availability of STG medicines increased with increasing level of care of facilities: 16.1% at dispensaries to 31.7% at secondary referral facilities. The mean proportion of availability for NCD medicines listed in the STGs (0.25) was significantly lower than for acute medicines (0.61), p<0.0001. The proportion of public facilities giving medicines for free (0.47) was significantly higher than the proportion of private non-profit facilities giving medicines for free (0.09) (p<0.0001). The mean price ratio of NCD medicines was significantly higher than for acute medicines in non-profit facilities (4.1 vs 2.0, respectively; p=0.0076), and in private for-profit drug outlets (3.5 vs 1.7; p=0.0013).
conclusionPatients with NCDs in Kenya appear to have limited access to medicines. Increasing access should be a focus of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
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