VP25 African countries are Working together To enhance medicine use
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Date
2017
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
The socioeconomic burden of diseases is increasing in Africa. For instance in 2011, 70 percent of the
world's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) population resided in sub-Sahara Africa. There are also
growing rates of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which necessitates newer more expensive antibiotics
adding to costs. There is also a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), three out of four
patients with hypertension currently live in low and middle income countries (LMICs), with prevalence
rates up to 30 to 45 percent among adults in Africa. Alongside this, up to 70 percent of total healthcare
expenditure is spent on medicines in LMICs; much of this out-of-pocket. Consequently, there is an urgent
need to strengthen collaborative research to improve medicine use.
METHODS:
Summary of groups working together in Africa including the Medicines Utilisation Research in Africa
(MURIA) group.
RESULTS:
African Strategies for Health identifies and advocates best practices, as well as works with others to
develop sustainable solutions. Pharmacology for Africa (PharfA) organises and promotes pharmacology
on the African continent, including research in clinical pharmacology, alongside the International Union
of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) sub-division. International Society for
Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Africa co-ordinates activities from the different
African country chapters. The South African Health Technology Assessment Society (SAHTAS) is a
scientific and professional society for all those who produce, use, or encounter Health Technology
Assessment (HTA) in Southern Africa, and the World Health Organization (WHO) International and
Regional groups are improving antibiotic drug utilization capabilities in Africa. The MURIA group was
established in 2015 (1). Ongoing collaborative research includes (i) initiatives to optimize antibiotic use;
(ii) methods to enhance adherence to anti-infective prescribing guidance, (iii) approaches to improve
adherence to HIV and NCDs; (iv) researching current anti-hypertensive utilization patterns and
knowledge; (v) approaches to enhance Drugs and Therapeutic Committees (DTC) activities, and (vi)
strengthening medicine utilization capabilities (2,3). These activities have already strengthened research
ties across Africa.
CONCLUSIONS:
A number of groups are already working across Africa to enhance appropriate medicine use, and should
continue. Ongoing MURIA activities include antibiotic point-prevalence studies, ongoing research into
infectious diseases, NCDs and DTCs including adherence as well as the third workshop and symposium
in Namibia in 2017.
Description
Keywords
African countries, HIV, Medicine use
Citation
Massele, A., Afriyie, D., Burger, J., Ezenduka, C., Fadare, J., Kalungia, A., Kibuule, D., Meyer, J., Ogunleye, O., Oluka, M. and Truter, I., 2017. VP25 African countries are working together to enhance medicine use. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 33(S1), pp.157-158.