title: The development of the Essential Drugs Program and implications for self-reliance in Tanzania.
abstract: This report provides a background history of the Essential Drugs Program (EDP) in Tanzania. Because of a scarcity of drugs in the Ministry of Health (MOH) managed units a program to fill up the empty shelves was welcomed. Critical questions were not addressed about other important policy components. Success of the EDP has been measured in terms of a successful delivery of drugs without questioning the source and its reliability in the near future. Other program components have not been implemented successfully to insure the program's substainability and self-reliance. There is a need to improve local production, quality assurance capability, inspection, intersectoral linkages and active local participation in shouldering the financial burden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Administration, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Munishi
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D013636:Tanzania
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations