Access to medicines in Uganda: A Human Rights Perspective

Over the years, health service delivery in Uganda has become a challenge due to a persistent lack of medical supplies in Public hospitals. This is largely attributed to Poor planning and forecasting characterized by failure to present adequate and timely procurement plans by both health facilities and District Health Officials; Limited budgetary allocations; Inadequate data management and monitoring systems to track amounts of drugs ordered, dispersed, prescribed and balances; Non-supply of ordered items by National Medical Stores; Abuse of the referral system by patients; clinicians prescribing more drugs than needed to mention but a few. The non availability of essential medicines such as anti-malarial drugs at public health facilities when patients need them at a particular time directly translates into loss of lives and is also an affront to health and human rights of Ugandans. The readers of this book will not only get informed about the current situation of drugs in Uganda, but will also be offered the solutions to a better approach towards the efficient management of medicine necessary for human life.