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Access to Medicines – More Than Just Affordability

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Optimizing Treatment for Children in the Developing World

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Abstract

The provision of essential medicines forms one of the key health systems “building blocks”, as defined by the World Health Organization. Any consideration of access to medicines for children needs to go beyond the mere physical availability and affordability of such medicines. A patient-centred conceptualization of access to health care has emphasized five dimensions: approachability, acceptability, availability and accommodation, affordability and appropriateness. Accordingly, this chapter is concentrated on issues relevant to individuals, households and communities. It focuses on the resources building block of the health system, in relation to availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability and quality of medicines for children. The impact of health financing, health information and human resources is also examined. Lastly, it considers the impact of market forces, innovation, transparency and donors’ agenda and funding on optimal access to medicines for children.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

    Andy Gray BPharm, MSc(Pharm)

  2. Paediatrics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

    Prakash Jeena MBChB, FCP(Paed)SA

  3. Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

    Atieno Ojoo BPharm, MPH

  4. Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

    Atieno Ojoo BPharm, MPH

Authors
  1. Andy Gray BPharm, MSc(Pharm)
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  2. Prakash Jeena MBChB, FCP(Paed)SA
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  3. Atieno Ojoo BPharm, MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andy Gray BPharm, MSc(Pharm) .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Stuart MacLeod

  2. University of Melbourne Medical School, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Suzanne Hill

  3. Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Gideon Koren

  4. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Karolinska University, Hostpital Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anders Rane

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Gray, A., Jeena, P., Ojoo, A. (2015). Access to Medicines – More Than Just Affordability. In: MacLeod, S., Hill, S., Koren, G., Rane, A. (eds) Optimizing Treatment for Children in the Developing World. Adis, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15750-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15750-4_3

  • Publisher Name: Adis, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15749-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15750-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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