Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41094447›Full record

ArticleInternational journal for equity in health2025

Access to essential medicines during the Sudanese civil war: a cross-sectional study.

Ahmed Balla M Ahmed, Lina Hemmeda, Salma Alrawa, DarElsalam Kowa Hussein Abukhris, Doaa Kamal Eldeen Esmaiel Suliman, Ethar Hamad, Fatima Afeef Altayeb Mohammed, Gasm Alseed Abdelmonim Gasm Alseed Fadlalmoula, Maha Rhamttallah, Mai Fathi Awadalla Alsedig and 3 more

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Article in International journal for equity in health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Ahmed Balla M AhmedFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan. m.salahballa@gmail.com.
Lina HemmedaFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Salma AlrawaFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
DarElsalam Kowa Hussein AbukhrisFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Kordofan, El-Obeid, Sudan.
Doaa Kamal Eldeen Esmaiel SulimanFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Ethar HamadFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Fatima Afeef Altayeb MohammedFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Gasm Alseed Abdelmonim Gasm Alseed FadlalmoulaFaculty of Medicine, University of Shendi, Shendi, Sudan.
Maha RhamttallahFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Mai Fathi Awadalla AlsedigFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Mohammed Haydar AwadFaculty of Medicine, Karary University, Khartoum, Sudan.
Muhannad Bushra Masaad AhmedFaculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gadarif, Gadarif, Sudan.
Tarteel Abbas Abaker JodaFaculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEssential medicines are those that meet the primary healthcare needs of the population. During the current Sudan war, access to these medicines is critical for evaluating the quality of the healthcare system in the aftermath of this crisis. This study aims to evaluate the availability and affordability of essential medicines in primary healthcare centers in Sudan. Additionally, it seeks to assess patients’ perceptions of the affordability, accessibility, acceptability, and impact of war on medicines in public healthcare facilities.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study across 35 primary healthcare centers in five of the seven safe states in Sudan. At each center’s dispensary unit, a standardized checklist was used to evaluate the availability, affordability, and storage conditions of 19 essential medicines chosen from Sudan’s national essential medicines list. Additionally, 975 patients from all dispensary units in the selected states were interviewed upon exiting to assess their perceptions of the accessibility, acceptability, accommodation, affordability, and impact of war on these medicines. Data were collected using the Kobo Toolbox and analyzed with SPSS version 26.

resultsThe overall availability of essential medicines was 45.1%. Treatment costs exceeded the daily wage for insured patients in 8 out of 19 medications and for uninsured patients in 18 out of 19. The average median price ratio was 39.3 with insurance and 187.1 without insurance. Accessibility, affordability, accommodation, and acceptability ratings were 3.16/5, 1.02/4, 4.24/6, and 5.42/6, respectively. Only 14.3% of outlets had functioning storerooms, though dispensary areas were generally in good condition.

conclusionSudanese patients during the recent war had limited access to essential drugs due to high prices and low availability. The outcomes for the patients’ access variables (accessibility, accommodation, acceptability, and affordability) were comparable to those in low-income countries. Immediate action is critical to guarantee access to affordable medicines, especially since many families have lost their primary sources of income.

Indexed as

Drugs, EssentialHealth Services AccessibilityWarfareAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMalePrimary Health CareSudanDrugs, EssentialAccessibilityAffordabilityAvailabilityEssential medicinesPrimary healthcare centersSudanWar

Identifiers

PMID41094447
PMCPMC12522604

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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.