Evaluation of Availability, Prices and Affordability of Breast Cancer Medicines in Kwara-Central Senatorial District, Nigeria
Author(s)
Williams F1, Usifoh SF2, Odili VU2
1University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, 2University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: Chemotherapeutic agents have revolutionized breast cancer (BCa) prognosis. However, inadequate availability, high prices and unaffordability of BCa medicines (BCMs) constitute public health challenge. This study evaluated the availability, prices and affordability of BCMs in Kwara-Central Senatorial District, Nigeria.
METHODS: This multicenter study involved eligible 9 private (PR) and 1 public (PU) sector pharmacies. It adapted World Health Organization/Health Action International methods to evaluate the availability, prices and affordability of 44 BCMs in stock on a one-time visit to the pharmacies. Availability of surveyed BCMs was determined, their prices obtained and median price ratios (MPRs) computed. Statistical comparisons of median buyer’s prices in PR and PU sector pharmacies, and median price difference among all pharmacies were performed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests respectively. BCMs treatment affordability was computed.
RESULTS: Only 40.9% of surveyed BCMs were available with PR and PU sector pharmacies contributing 38.6% and 15.9% respectively. Doxorubicin injection 50 mg/vial, docetaxel injection 40 mg/ml and cisplatin injection 1 mg/ml had fairly high availability. Originator brand docetaxel injection 80 mg/4 ml had the highest price (N 55, 000 [$132.50]) while generic tamoxifen tablet 2.5 mg had the lowest (N 38 [$ 0.092]). MPRs ranged from 0.31-26.06. Only 27.8% of the BCMs had less than 1 MPR. There was no statistically significant median buyer price difference among the pharmacies nor between the public and private sector pharmacies. Additionally, the lowest-paid government employee in Nigeria required more than 1 day’s wage (N 1000 [$2.41]) to purchase 94.4% of the BCMs. Only methotrexate tablet 2.5mg had affordability of less than 1 day’s wage.
CONCLUSIONS:
BCMs are inadequately available, have high prices and are unaffordable in Kwara-Central Senatorial District, Nigeria. Further studies should be conducted to identify factors responsible for inadequate availability and high prices of BCMs. Keywords: Availability, Prices, Affordability, Breast Cancer Medicines, NigeriaConference/Value in Health Info
Value in Health, Volume 25, Issue 12S (December 2022)
Code
HPR69
Topic
Health Policy & Regulatory
Topic Subcategory
Health Disparities & Equity
Disease
STA: Drugs