Factors Affecting the Availability and Utilization of Essential Medicines in India: A Systematic Review.

Essential medicines or drugs are recognized as highly cost-effective components within contemporary healthcare, demonstrating significant potential for improving health outcomes. The provision of essential medicines directly impacts the functioning of healthcare facilities, resulting in financial hardship. This review aims to fill knowledge gaps by examining obstacles hindering access and utilization of essential medicines in India. This study conducted a comprehensive evidence synthesis, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, to analyse articles on the availability and utilization of essential medicines in India. The search strategy included various databases and keywords. Published, peer-reviewed articles focusing on the National/ State List of Essential Medicines and meeting specific criteria were considered. Data items included essential medicines, drug availability, utilization, and challenges. Data was extracted, synthesized, and analysed using thematic framework analysis. Out of 1,129 articles, 11 were selected for review. Studies consistently highlighted the inadequate availability of essential medicines in different Indian states. Availability of essential medicines varies in the range of 17-51 percent across major states of India. Stock-outs of medicines vary from 4 to 14 weeks. Governance issues including differential procurement mechanisms across states of India, hinder seamless availability of essential medicines. Other challenges included distribution and purchasing system inefficiencies, governance-related issues, and facility/ user-level challenges impacting drug utilization. Disruptions in utilization were observed due to improper prescription practices and non-availability of affordable options. Accessibility and affordability also affected drug utilization. Issues with supply chain management and conflicting guidelines further contributed to the obstacles faced in ensuring availability and utilization of essential medicines in India. Ensuring the availability, accessibility, and affordability of essential medicines is of utmost importance. The public health system needs to strengthen its procurement and distribution management. Strengthening the logistics support for an efficient supply of essential medicines will reduce the time lag in receipt of drugs. Guidelines on essential drugs prepared by the National Health System Resource Centre need to be strictly adhered to and monitored in inventory management system. There is an urgent need to develop a sustainable model for achieving uniformity in the availability and utilization of essential medicines in India.

Developing Standard Treatment Workflows-way to universal healthcare in India.

Primary healthcare caters to nearly 70% of the population in India and provides treatment for approximately 80-90% of common conditions. To achieve universal health coverage (UHC), the Indian healthcare system is gearing up by initiating several schemes such as National Health Protection Scheme, Ayushman Bharat, Nutrition Supplementation Schemes, and Inderdhanush Schemes. The healthcare delivery system is facing challenges such as irrational use of medicines, over- and under-diagnosis, high out-of-pocket expenditure, lack of targeted attention to preventive and promotive health services, and poor referral mechanisms. Healthcare providers are unable to keep pace with the volume of growing new scientific evidence and rising healthcare costs as the literature is not published at the same pace. In addition, there is a lack of common standard treatment guidelines, workflows, and reference manuals from the Government of India. Indian Council of Medical Research in collaboration with the National Health Authority, Govt. of India, and the WHO India country office has developed Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs) with the objective to be utilized at various levels of healthcare starting from primary to tertiary level care. A systematic approach was adopted to formulate the STWs. An advisory committee was constituted for planning and oversight of the process. Specialty experts' group for each specialty comprised of clinicians working at government and private medical colleges and hospitals. The expert groups prioritized the topics through extensive literature searches and meeting with different stakeholders. Then, the contents of each STW were finalized in the form of single-pager infographics. These STWs were further reviewed by an editorial committee before publication. Presently, 125 STWs pertaining to 23 specialties have been developed. It needs to be ensured that STWs are implemented effectively at all levels and ensure quality healthcare at an affordable cost as part of UHC.

Cost-effectiveness of incorporating Mycobacterium indicus pranii vaccine to multidrug therapy in newly diagnosed leprosy cases for better treatment outcomes & immunoprophylaxis in contacts as leprosy control measures for National Leprosy Eradication Programme in India.

Background & objectives: The elimination goal for leprosy as a public health problem at the national level was achieved in 2005 in India. However, the number of new cases reporting annually remained nearly the same during the last 10-15 years. Moreover, a substantial number of these new cases reported disabilities for the first time. Therefore, besides multidrug therapy (MDT), newer strategies with focus on effectively decreasing the number of new cases, optimizing the treatment of detected cases, averting disabilities and arresting the transmission of the disease are required. So the objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) vaccine implementation in National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) for newly diagnosed leprosy patients as well as their contacts to arrest/decrease the transmission and occurrence of new cases. Methods: This was a model-based estimation of incremental costs, total quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, new cases averted, deaths averted, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and budget impact of the vaccination intervention. This model included the addition of MIP treatment intervention to the newly detected leprosy patients as well as vaccination with MIP to their contacts. Results: Using the societal perspective, discounted ICER was estimated to be ₹73,790 per QALY gained over a five-year time period. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was assessed by varying the values of input parameters. Majority (96%) of simulations fell in North East quadrant of cost-effectiveness plane, which were all below the willingness to pay threshold. Interpretation & conclusions: Introduction of MIP vaccination in the NLEP appears to be a cost-effective strategy for India. Significant health gains were reduction in the number of new leprosy cases, decreased incidence and severity of reactions during treatment, and after release from treatment, prevention of disabilities, thus reducing the cost as well as stigma of the disease.