Price, Availability, and Affordability of Antineoplastic Medicines in Harare's Public and Private Institutions: Implication for Access

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the price, availability, and affordability of antineoplastic medicines in private and public sector pharmacies in Harare Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe.

Methods: The study was based on the methodology recommended by the World Health Organization and Health Action International. A total of 32 antineoplastic medicines in 3 public central hospitals and 150 private pharmacies were surveyed. The median price ratio, percentage availability, affordability, and percentage markups were calculated.

Results: Availability at the public institutions was 28%, whereas the private sector ranged from 1.3% to 42.7%. The median price ratio in the private sector ranged from 0.6 to 11, whereas the public sector ranged from 0.73 to 2.25. Affordability in the public sector ranged from 1 to 10 days wage and from 1 to 490 days wage in the private sector. The average percentage markup was 51.3% in the private sector and 34% in the public sector.

Conclusion: Antineoplastic medicines were more available in the private sector than in the public sector, but more affordable in the public sector. The average percentage markups for antineoplastic medicines demonstrated that medicines were not overpriced in the public sector, but in the private sector were sold at prices higher than the international reference price.

Keywords: affordability; antineoplastic medicines; medicines availability; price.