Assessment of the Performance of the Affordable Medicines Facility Malaria (AMFM) Program in Uganda.

Abstract

This study is an assessment of the performance of the affordable medicines facility malaria (AMFm) program in Uganda, a case study of selected pharmacy out lets in Kampala district. The main objective of the study was to assess the performance of AMFm in ensuring accessibility, affordability, proper use and increasing the market share in the selected outlets in Kampala in 2013 And the specific objectives were; 1. To determine the availability of AMFm ACTS in the selected facilities in Kampala 2013. 2. to determine the afford ability of ACTS in line AMFm price norms in selected facilities in Kampala in 2013. 3. To assess the knowledge ability of the sellers/ distributors of ACTs dosage and prescription in the selected facilities in Kampala in 2013. 4. To assess the market share of the ACTs under AMFm in the market in the selected facilities in Kampala 2013. Across sectional study design was used to study 169 pharmacy outlets in Kampala with 338 respondens purposely selected in public, private not for proft and private for profit pharmacy outlets in all the divisions of Kampala. The major findings of the study were that the majority of the pharmacy out lets have the AMFm ACTs most times and there was a high level of knowledge of various doses despite some degree of errors. The cost of the AMFm ACTs in most outlets was above the recommended prices hence negatively impacting on affordability. The market share was estimated to be 50% which is still low though promising. The study recommends increased awareness to be done by the Ministry of the availability of the AMFm ACTs and their expected retail prices. Also the distributors, suppliers and retailers should adhere to the recommended prices at all levels. And also further similar studies should be done in the rural settings.