Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A national database for essential drugs in South Africa

  • Published:
Pharmacy World & Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the process of drafting standard treatment guidelines for adults and children at hospital level, the Secretariat of the National Essential Drugs List Committee made use of a database designed with technical support from the School of Pharmacy, MEDUNSA. The database links the current 697 drugs on the Essential Drugs List with Standard Treatment Guidelines for over 400 conditions. It served to streamline the inclusion of different drugs and dosage forms in the various guidelines, and provided concise, updated information to other departments involved in drug procurement. From information on drug prices and morbidity, it can also be used to calculate drug consumption and cost estimates and compare them with actual figures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. Document. National Drug Policy for South Africa. Pretoria: The Department of Health, 1996.

  2. The National Essential Drugs List Committee. Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Drugs List for South Africa. Adult Hospital Level. Pretoria: Department of Health, 1998a.

    Google Scholar 

  3. The National Essential Drugs List Committee. Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Drugs List for South Africa. Paediatric Hospital Level. Pretoria: Department of Health, 1998b.

    Google Scholar 

  4. The National Essential Drugs List Committee. Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Drugs List for South Africa. Primary Health Care. Second Edition. Pretoria: Department of Health, 1998c.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bannenberg W. Personal communication. 1998.

  6. COMED – the Coordinating Committee for Medicines Procurement.

  7. Quick JD, Rankin JR, Laing RO et al. (editors). Managing Drug Supply. Second Edition. Chapter 46: Computers in Drug Management. West Hartford, CT, USA: Kumarian Press, 1997: 727-746.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA), South Africa

    M. Zweygarth & R.S. Summers

  2. The Secretariat of the National Essential Drugs List Committee, Essential Drugs Programme, Department of Health, South Africa

    M. Zweygarth & R.S. Summers

Authors
  1. M. Zweygarth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R.S. Summers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zweygarth, M., Summers, R. A national database for essential drugs in South Africa. Pharm World Sci 22, 116–117 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008734616460

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008734616460

Search

Navigation