 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Francis Ogojo Okello, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager / Anglophone Africa, Commercial Market Strategies Project, 1001 G Street, N.W, Suite 400W, Washington, DC 20001-4545, 202 220 2186, FOkello@cmsproject.com
About 70000-110000 deaths occur in Uganda among children under 5 annually due to malaria, and 9-14% of in-patient deaths are attributed to malaria. As a commitment to the Global Roll Back on Malaria Initiative, Uganda’s aims to have 60 percent of children under 5 receiving appropriate and timely treatment for Malaria by 2005. Donor agencies have committed to partnering with Uganda’s Ministry of Health to improve malaria treatment. Among initiatives planned is the introduction of pre-packaged malaria treatment, deemed significant in the management of malaria through easy access to drugs, correct dosage, proper storage and improved compliance. A possible strategy is to make pre-packaged malaria treatment widely available in the private sector since it is the source of healthcare for 83% of Ugandans.
In March 2002, CMS, with funding from USAID, conducted a national survey of private sector outlets to determine availability of antimalarials in the private sector. Outlets surveyed included private clinics, drug shops, private hospitals, pharmacies, general merchandise shops and kiosks. This research answers questions such as: “Is there an availability problem for antimalarials in Uganda’s private sector?” “What types and brands exist?” “In what packaging?” “What is the unit price to the consumer?” “What is the providers’ unit profit margin?” “What are the designations of providers?” “Do providers have training in malaria treatment?” “Are standard treatment guidelines available at outlets?” The author will discuss the major study findings and implications for social marketing of pre-packaged malaria treatment with specific emphasis on distribution, pricing and training of providers.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Social Marketing, Drugs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.