The prices people pay for medicines in Zimbabwe

People need drugs to maintain health and for relief from pain, suffering and ill health. But drugs have to be bought. They have to be bought in foreign currency, including a part of those produced locally. They are expensive and the price is going up every day.1 In many developing countries, medicines are unaffordable to the majority of people. The cost of health care and particularly the cost of prescription medicines presents major challenges to public expenditure policies. Medicine costs account for a large proportion of households', insurers and governments' health spending in many African countries, including Zimbabwe. It has been estimated that up to 50% of the population in Africa and Asia are unable to obtain necessary medicines.3 The price of medicines is one of the most important obstacles to access. The cost of pharmaceuticals in the overall budgets of insurers and governments continues to be targeted and often become controversial issues.

A CAJM article tabulating the cost of medicines in Zimbabwe pharmaceutical stores.