What is it about?
The World Health Organization (WHO) periodically publishes the Model lists of essential medicines (EML) and essential in vitro diagnostics (EDL) to offer guidance to member states. The model lists help countries prioritise the critical health products that should be available and affordable throughout health systems. Countries use these model lists to help develop their local lists of essential medicines and diagnostics. The WHO introduced the model list of essential diagnostics in 2018, while the essential medicines list was introduced 45 years ago. This work evaluates current evidence on implementing the more established model list of essential medicines to inform the development and implementation of the national list of essential in vitro diagnostics in Africa.
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Why is it important?
Our review found the main barriers facing the implementation of EML and EDL were poorly equipped health facilities—including unavailability or stock-outs of essential diagnostic tests and medicines. The EDL implementation can learn from interventions to improve the availability and supply of essential medicines. When developing and implementing the National EDLs, consideration of these barriers will strengthen health service delivery, access to essential diagnostics and universal health coverage.
Perspectives
This article brings together evidence that could be valuable in adopting the WHO Model List of essential diagnostics in African countries and similar contexts. Consideration of highlighted barriers and enablers could pave the way toward strengthening health service delivery, access to essential diagnostic tests, populations’ health outcomes and enhancing universal health coverage.
Moriasi Nyanchoka
Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Implementing essential diagnostics-learning from essential medicines: A scoping review, PLOS Global Public Health, December 2022, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000827.
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