Alma Ata Declaration Analysis

1070 Words5 Pages

Drugs fulfill to the needs and requirements of primary healthcare of population are called as essential drugs, which are available in adequate amounts, in the appropriate dosage forms with assured quality and detailed information providing evidence on efficacy and safety, and comparative cost effectiveness. The Alma-Ata declaration during the International Conference on Primary Health Care in 1978 reaffirms that health is a fundamental human right and the attainment of the highest possible level of health is a most important worldwide social goal. The Alma Ata declaration has outlined the eight essential components of primary health care and provision of essential medicines is one of them (1). Management of essential medicines results in a …show more content…

WHO criteria to guide selection of an essential drug (4)
1. From clinical data available globally drugs safety and efficacy should be determined.
2. Taking in to the consideration of factors such as treatment facilities available for the incidence and pattern of the disease, genetic, demographic factors and financial resources of the patient, including the technical expertise and environmental factors choice of drug is finalized.
3. When the more options of drugs available under a specific category choice should be made on the basis of relative efficacy, safety, quality, price and availability. Cost benefit ratio remains a major …show more content…

Essential drug list doesn’t implicate that only these drugs are useful and others are not, but most of the cases majority of the population will be in a situation to be accessed to the most needed essential medicines list for the health care of the individuals

The impacts of essential drugs (5)
1. To help save lives and improve health by closing the huge gap between the potential that essential drugs have to offer and the reality that for millions of people – particularly the poor and disadvantaged - medicines are unavailable, unaffordable, unsafe or improperly used.
2. Have a profound health impact; effective drug treatment now exists for most leading infectious diseases. Essential life-saving drugs have also been developed for leading no communicable diseases such as ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Essential drugs save lives and reduce suffering, especially for impoverished populations.
3. Essential drugs increase the credibility of a health system and promote patient participation.
4. Effective and transparent drug procurement increases the confidence of governments, ministries of finance and donors in a country's health

More about Alma Ata Declaration Analysis

Open Document