Financing and availability of essential medicines before and after introduction of the national hospital insurance fund civil servants and disciplined services medical scheme at Webuye District Hospital, Kenya
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Date
2014Author
Mecca, Lucy W
Riungu, James
Guantai, Eric M
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
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Background: Financing is an important determinant of access to essential medicines. In Kenya, the National Hospital
Insurance Fund Civil Servants and Disciplined Services Medical Scheme is a key contributor to financing the
procurement of essential medicines.
Main Objective: To compare availability and funding of essential medicines at Webuye District Hospital, Kenya before
and after implementation of the new National Hospital Insurance Fund Medical Scheme.
Methods: This was a longitudinal before-after study of four years (January 2010-December 2013); the latter two of
which the scheme was in operation.
Results: After introduction of the scheme, there was a higher allocation for the medicines budget from the Facility
Improvement Fund, which hosts finances from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (p=0.008). The actual
expenditure on essential medicines was also higher. Expenditure on essential medicines by the government, reduced
(p<0.0001). The stock out rate decreased by 2.28% though this change was not statistically significant (p=0.099). The
Facility Improvement Fund expenditure on essential medicines was a significant negative predictor of stock out rate.
Conclusion: Although financing of medicines through the facility improvement fund increased after introduction of
the new scheme, there was no change in the stock-out rate.
Citation
Mecca, Lucy W., Riungu, James and Guantai, Eric M (2014). Financing and availability of essential medicines before and after introduction of the national hospital insurance fund civil servants and disciplined services medical scheme at Webuye District Hospital, Kenya. Mecca et al, Afr. J. Pharmacol. Ther. 2014. 3(4): 128-133Publisher
University of Nairobi
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- Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) [10387]