COVID-19 and access to essential medicine: Discussion paper

Abstract

Pandemics, natural, unnatural and man-made disasters, make it difficult to have normal access to medicines (ATM). However, stringent policies and accurate planning ensures ATM by controlling sky-high medicine prices. The policymakers, healthcare providers and government should consider these recommendations to ensure ATM amid COVID 19: (1) Prioritization of Medicine List; (2) Considering National Essential Medicine List; (3) Dual & Multisource Contracts; (4) Bulk Procurement System; (5) Review of legislation and procurement policies; (6) Reforms in importation and customs procedures; (7) Trade- Related Aspects of International Property Rights; (8) Controlling medicine prices; (9) Encouraging domestic pharmaceutical production and (10) Effective Monitoring System. The author concludes that these recommendations have implications for equitable access to essential medicine (EM). We call upon the policy makers, the governments, drug regulatory authorities, the big pharma and domestic pharmaceutical companies to accelerate their efforts to ensure equitable and affordable ATM.