Impact of the national drug policy on pharmaceuticals in two provinces in South Africa

Abstract

Provincial baseline surveys on NDP were carried out between 1996 and 1998 in eight of South Africa's nine provinces. These Surveys were conducted to establish baselines for future monitoring of progress of the implementation of aspects of the NDP. Follow up surveys were carried out in all nine provinces and six metros of South Africa in 2003 with the aim of determining the impact of the EDP at PHC level in South Africa. The current study sought to evaluate the impact of the NDP on pharmaceuticals in South Africa. The rationale for this study was to provide information on the areas of the public and private healthcare system that may need to be improved in order to ensure rational drug use, therapeutic and physical access to pharmaceuticals.