Implementation of Medicines Pricing Policies in Ghana: The Interplay of Policy Content, Actors' Participation, and Context.

BACKGROUND: Implementing medicines pricing policy effectively is important for ensuring equitable access to essential medicines and ultimately achieving universal health coverage. However, published analyses of policy implementations are scarce from low- and middleincome countries. This paper contributes to bridging this knowledge gap by reporting analysis of implementation of two medicines pricing policies in Ghana: value-added tax (VAT) exemptions and framework contracting (FC) for selected medicines. We analysed implications of actor involvements, contexts, and contents on the implementation of these policies, and the interplay between these. This paper should be of interest, and relevance, to policy designers, implementers, the private sector and policy analysts. METHODS: Data were collected through document reviews (n=18), in-depth interviews (n=30), focus groups (n=2) and consultative meetings (n=6) with purposefully identified policy actors. Data were analysed thematically, guided by the four components of the health policy triangle framework. RESULTS: The nature and complexity of policy contents determined duration and degree of formality of implementation processes. For instance, in the FC policy, negotiating medicines prices and standardizing the tendering processes lengthened implementation. Highly varied stakeholder participation created avenues for decision-making and promoted inclusiveness, but also raised the need to manage different agendas and interests. Key contextual enablers and constraints to implementation included high political support and currency depreciation, respectively. The interrelatedness of policy content, actors, and context influenced the timeliness of policy implementations and achievement of intended outcomes, and suggest five attributes of effective policy implementation: (1) policy nature and complexity, (2) inclusiveness, (3) organizational feasibility, (4) economic feasibility, and (5) political will and leadership. CONCLUSION: Varied contextual factors, active participation of stakeholders, nature, and complexity of policy content, and structures have all influenced the implementation of medicines pricing policies in Ghana.

Implementation of medicines pricing policies in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review.

BACKGROUND: High medicine prices contribute to increasing cost of healthcare worldwide. Many patients with limited resources in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are confronted with out-of-pocket charges, constraining their access to medicines. Different medicine pricing policies are implemented to improve affordability and availability; however, evidence on the experiences of implementations of these policies in SSA settings appears limited. Therefore, to bridge this knowledge gap, we reviewed published evidence and answered the question: what are the key determinants of implementation of medicines pricing policies in SSA countries? METHODS: We identified policies and examined implementation processes, key actors involved, contextual influences on and impact of these policies. We searched five databases and grey literature; screening was done in two stages following clear inclusion criteria. A structured template guided the data extraction, and data analysis followed thematic narrative synthesis. The review followed best practices and reported using PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 5595 studies identified, 31 met the inclusion criteria. The results showed thirteen pricing policies were implemented across SSA between 2003 and 2020. These were in four domains: targeted public subsides, regulatory frameworks and direct price control, generic medicine policies and purchasing policies. Main actors involved were government, wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers, professional bodies, community members and private and public health facilities. Key contextual barriers to implementation were limited awareness about policies, lack of regulatory capacity and lack of price transparency in external reference pricing process. Key facilitators were favourable policy environment on essential medicines, strong political will and international support. Evidence on effectiveness of these policies on reducing prices of, and improving access to, medicines was mixed. Reductions in prices were reported occasionally, and implementation of medicine pricing policy sometimes led to improved availability and affordability to essential medicines. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of medicine pricing policies in SSA shows some mixed evidence of improved availability and affordability to essential medicines. It is important to understand country-specific experiences, diversity of policy actors and contextual barriers and facilitators to policy implementation. Our study suggests three policy implications, for SSA and potentially other low-resource settings: avoiding a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, engaging both private and public sector policy actors in policy implementation and continuously monitoring implementation and effects of policies. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020178166.

Powers, engagements and resultant influences over the design and implementation of medicine pricing policies in Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: Universal availability and affordability of essential medicines are determined by effective design and implementation of relevant policies, typically involving multiple stakeholders. This paper examined stakeholder engagements, powers and resultant influences over design and implementation of four medicines pricing policies in Ghana: Health Commodity Supply Chain Master Plan, framework contracting for high demand medicines, Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions for selected essential medicines, and ring-fencing medicines for local manufacturing. METHODS: Data were collected using reviews of policy documentation (n=16), consultative meetings with key policy actors (n=5) and in-depth interviews (n=29) with purposefully identified national-level policymakers, public and private health professionals including members of the National Medicine Pricing Committee, pharmaceutical wholesalers and importers. Data were analysed using thematic framework. RESULTS: A total of 46 stakeholders were identified, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, other government agencies, development partners, pharmaceutical industry and professional bodies. The Ministry of Health coordinated policy processes, utilising its bureaucratic mandate and exerted high influences over each policy. Most stakeholders were highly engaged in policy processes. Whereas some led or coproduced the policies in the design stage and participated in policy implementation, others were consulted for their inputs, views and opinions. Stakeholder powers reflected their expertise, bureaucratic mandates and through participation in national level consultation meetings, influences policy contents and implementation. A wider range of stakeholders were involved in the VAT exemption policies, reflecting their multisectoral nature. A minority of stakeholders, such as service providers were not engaged despite their interest in medicines pricing, and consequently did not influence policies. CONCLUSIONS: Stakeholder powers were central to their engagements in, and resultant influences over medicine pricing policy processes. Effective leadership is important for inclusive and participatory policymaking, and one should be cognisant of the nature of policy issues and approaches to policy design and implementation.