The need is great one-third of the world s population lacks regular access to good quality essential drugs. In poor populations adults and children die needlessly of treatable diseases such as malaria, acute respiratory illness and diarrhoeal diseases. Poor pharmaceutical procurement practices are partly to blame. Good procurement getting quality medicines to people when and where needed Procurement is the sum total of processes involved in the purchase and delivery of drugs. Ideally, the most cost-effective drugs are bought in the most appropriate quantities from reputable suppliers, delivered where and when required, at the lowest possible total cost.
Experience shows, however, that the process can go badly awry.
The number of different agencies involved in procuring drugs including ministries of health, manufacturers and donor agencies can render the process highly complex and vulnerable to inefficiency and waste. Other problems such as corruption and lack of transparency, lead to lack of competition with fewer choices, higher prices and poorer quality. At the same time, irregular and limited funding can greatly hinder efforts to secure timely delivery of drugs. External funding from international agencies or bilateral donors sometimes helps. Outdated local regulations and supply procedures not suitable for the special requirements of buying pharmaceuticals can further complicate the problem.