By NASIBO KABALE
Low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya are paying more for medicines than rich States, according to a new report from the Centre for Global Development.
The report published this week indicates that patients in low- and middle-income countries pay as much as 20 to 30 times above the minimum international reference price for basic generic medicines like omeprazole, used to treat heartburn, or paracetamol, a common pain reliever.
The biggest contributor to these price variations, the reports shows, is the fact that those countries tend to buy the most expensive drugs as opposed to opting for the cheaper unbranded generics.
“In the poorest countries, branded generics — which command a price premium — make up about two-thirds of the market by volume and value. Unbranded generics, usually the least expensive option, are a tiny sliver, only five percent of the market by volume and three percent by value…Read more>>
