Availability, Cost and Affordability of Essential Cardiovascular Disease Medicines in the South West Region, Cameroon. (Preliminaries from the Cameroon Science for Disease

CaHReF 2016, Yaoundé Conges hall, 23 – 26 August 2016 , PL197

More than 80% of deaths below the age of 70 years due to CVD occur in low- and middle-income countries. One of WHO’s roadmaps is to reduce premature deaths (<70 years) due to non-communicable diseases by 25% by 2025. Evidence supports the use of pharmacological treatment for secondary prevention of adverse cardiovascular events.

This study aimed at assessing the availability, cost and affordability of essential cardiovascular medicines in the South West region-Cameroon.

This was an audit of 63 medicine outlets in SW Region. Twenty-six essential medicines were surveyed using the World Health Organisation/Health Action International methodology. Percentage availability, cost, and the ratio of the median price to the international reference price were evaluated for the surveyed medicines in public, confessional, private facility medicine outlets, and community pharmacies. Affordability was assessed by calculating the number of days’ wages it will cost the lowest-paid unskilled government worker to purchase a month of chronic treatment.

Availability ranged from 25.3% (public facility outlets) to 49.2% (community pharmacies) for all medicines. Hydrochlorothiazide was >70% available across all sectors while medicines for angina were completely absent. Availability was higher in urban and semi-urban compared to rural outlets. Cost of medicines was highest in community pharmacies, lowest in public facility outlets and similar between confessional and private facility outlets. Aspirin, digoxin, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide and nifedipine were affordable (cost a day’s wage or less). Medicinesfor heart failure and dyslipidaemia; beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and statins required 2-5days and 6-13days’ wages respectively for one month of chronic treatment.

the overall availability of CVD essential medicines was much lower than the 80% recommended by the WHO, and medicines were largely unaffordable. More attention should be given to CVD whose prevalence is rising and may reach epidemic proportions in future if affordable medicines are not made available for secondary prevention.

essential medicines, availability, cost, affordability, cardiovascular disease