Kofi Boamah Mensah1,2, Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah3, Varsha Bangalee4, Neelaveni Padayachee5, Frasia Oosthuizen4. 1. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Science, College of Health Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. kofimensah227@yahoo.co.uk. 2. Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, University Road, Durban, South Africa. kofimensah227@yahoo.co.uk. 3. Department of Nursing, College of Health Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. 4. Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, University Road, Durban, South Africa. 5. Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Access to childhood cancer medicines is a critical global health challenge. There is a lack of sufficient context-specific data in Ghana on access to essential medicines for treating childhood cancers. Here, we present an analysis of essential cancer medicine availability, pricing, and affordability using the pediatric oncology unit of a tertiary hospital as the reference point. METHOD: Data on prices and availability of 20 strength-specific essential cancer medicines and eight non-cancer medicines were evaluated using the modified World Health Organization (WHO)/Health Action International method. Two pharmacies in the hospital and four private pharmacies around the hospital were surveyed. We assessed their median price ratio using the WHO international reference price guide. The number of days wages per the government daily wage salary was used to calculate the affordability of medicines. RESULTS: The mean availability of essential cancer medicines and non-cancer medicines at the hospital pharmacies were 27 and 38% respectively, and 75 and 84% respectively for private pharmacies. The median price ratio of cancer medicines was 1.85, and non-cancer medicines was 3.75. The estimated cost of medicines for treating a 30 kg child with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was GHȻ 4928.04 (US$907.56) and GHȻ 4878.00 (US$902.62) for Retinoblastoma, requiring 417 and 413-days wages respectively for the lowest-paid unskilled worker in Ghana. CONCLUSION: The mean availability of cancer medicines at the public and private pharmacies were less than the WHO target of 80%. The median price ratio for cancer and non-cancer medicines was less than 4, yet the cost of medicines appears unaffordable in the local setting. A review of policies and the establishment of price control could improve availability and reduce medicines prices for the low-income population.
INTRODUCTION: Access to childhood cancer medicines is a critical global health challenge. There is a lack of sufficient context-specific data in Ghana on access to essential medicines for treating childhood cancers. Here, we present an analysis of essential cancer medicine availability, pricing, and affordability using the pediatric oncology unit of a tertiary hospital as the reference point. METHOD: Data on prices and availability of 20 strength-specific essential cancer medicines and eight non-cancer medicines were evaluated using the modified World Health Organization (WHO)/Health Action International method. Two pharmacies in the hospital and four private pharmacies around the hospital were surveyed. We assessed their median price ratio using the WHO international reference price guide. The number of days wages per the government daily wage salary was used to calculate the affordability of medicines. RESULTS: The mean availability of essential cancer medicines and non-cancer medicines at the hospital pharmacies were 27 and 38% respectively, and 75 and 84% respectively for private pharmacies. The median price ratio of cancer medicines was 1.85, and non-cancer medicines was 3.75. The estimated cost of medicines for treating a 30 kg child with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was GHȻ 4928.04 (US$907.56) and GHȻ 4878.00 (US$902.62) for Retinoblastoma, requiring 417 and 413-days wages respectively for the lowest-paid unskilled worker in Ghana. CONCLUSION: The mean availability of cancer medicines at the public and private pharmacies were less than the WHO target of 80%. The median price ratio for cancer and non-cancer medicines was less than 4, yet the cost of medicines appears unaffordable in the local setting. A review of policies and the establishment of price control could improve availability and reduce medicines prices for the low-income population.
Authors: Nickhill Bhakta; Lisa M Force; Claudia Allemani; Rifat Atun; Freddie Bray; Michel P Coleman; Eva Steliarova-Foucher; A Lindsay Frazier; Leslie L Robison; Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo; Christina Fitzmaurice Journal: Lancet Oncol Date: 2019-01 Impact factor: 41.316
Authors: Eva Steliarova-Foucher; Murielle Colombet; Lynn A G Ries; Florencia Moreno; Anastasia Dolya; Freddie Bray; Peter Hesseling; Hee Young Shin; Charles A Stiller Journal: Lancet Oncol Date: 2017-04-11 Impact factor: 41.316