title: Pricing and availability of some essential child specific medicines in Odisha.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Continuous availability of affordable medicines in appropriate formulations is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality in children. Odisha an eastern Indian state records very high mortality of children. The study aims at documenting the availability and prices paid for purchasing essential child-specific medicines.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey of 34 essential medicines was conducted in six randomly selected districts of Odisha. Data were collected from medicine outlets of the public, private, and other sector (Nongovernmental Organization [NGO]/mission sectors) of six randomly selected districts, using WHO/Health Action International medicine price collection methodology. For each medicine surveyed, data were collected on the highest and lowest-priced formulations available in each facility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both public sector and other sector health facilities procure only one brand of medicines, mean percentage availability of medicines being 17% and 21.8%, respectively. In the private sector, the mean percentage availability of the high and lowest-priced medicines for a particular drug product was 10.8% and 38.5%, respectively. The public sector procurement price is 48% lower than international reference prices. In the private sector, high-priced, and low-priced products are sold at 1.83 and 1.46 times the international reference price, respectively. Substantial price variation was observed for some medicines across individual outlets. Medicines were found to cost 2.08 times their international reference price in NGO/mission sector facilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The availability of children's medicines in public sector facilities of Odisha state is poor. Medicines for children cost relatively high in both private and NGO sectors compared to the international reference price. The availability medicines should be improved on an urgent basis to improve access of medicines for children of Odisha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, India.
authors.forename: Trupti Rekha
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, M.K.C.G Medical College, Burla, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Bandana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, India.
authors.forename: Suhasini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dehury
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, India.
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, M.K.C.G Medical College, Burla, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Priti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, India.
authors.forename: Rajashree
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, VSS Medical College, Burla, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Satyajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samal
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, VSS Medical College, Burla, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Harshavardhan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nayak
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018954:Drugs, Essential / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics; D017150:Public Sector / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D018954:Drugs, Essential
keywords: Availability; children; drug pricing; essential medicines