Assessment of Rational Drug Use in Selected NGOs in Palestine

Abstract

promotion of Rational Drug Use (RDU) and the preparation and implementation of Essential Drug Lists (EDL) are amongst the most frequently addressed key-issues in National Drug Policies, which are proven critical steps in the process of reforming any health system. In addition to the positive impact of implementing RDU policies in improving the efficiency of health care provision and on cost reduction, these policies also result in improving the quality of provided-care, and hence, the public heath of the community. Furthermore, rationalizing drug use would also have an indirect impact on improving the overall efficacy of procurement strategies via enhancing the appropriate utilization of medications by the different clinics.  In Palestine, the Ministry of Health (MoH) established the first Palestinian National Drug Policy in 1996. This was followed by the preparation of the EDL in the year 2000. The underlying objective in these policies has emphasized “ensuring that safe and effective drugs are available to the entire population at affordable prices and those drugs of good quality are used rationally”.  Since then, several initiatives were undertaken by the MoH and some local NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) – i.e., Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC), Health Work Committees (HWC) and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) – to implement actively the EDL and to help promote the concepts and practices of RDU. Unfortunately, other NGOs and the private sector were excluded from such schemes. UNRWA, on the other hand, has its own EDL and implements its policies accordingly.  Within this context, this baseline survey aims to provide technical assistance to CARE International WBG in assessing & planning (Phase I) and implementing (Phase II) an RDU project in selected NGO health clinics in the WB and GS.  The specific objectives of the assessment are: (i) to assess medical practices including prescribing and dispensing patterns in each clinic, (ii) to investigate the drug management cycle in those clinics, (iii) to identify structural constraints to rationalizing drug use, and finally, (iv) to develop a plan of action based on the evidence generated from the field and focusing on in-field training, monitoring and evaluation to be implemented in Phase II.