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Pharmaceutical Drugs Supply Chain in the Independent Healthcare Sub-sector in Uganda



Pharmaceutical Drugs Supply Chain in the Independent Healthcare Sub-sector in Uganda

Private-for-profit health facilities (Independent Healthcare) are limited to the urban areas. Some private clinics also dispense drugs. There is no clear distinction between a private clinic and a private hospital. Patients seeking treatment in the private sector purchase drugs primarily from retail pharmacies which are again concentrated in urban areas and very few in the rural areas. In addition to registered pharmacies, drugs are also sold in drug stores as over-the- counter (OTC) medicines. There is also a small market for drugs that are sold in non-fixed structure stores that are located either in far flung rural areas or in the shanty compounds neighboring urban centers.

Between 40-60% of the health care provided in Uganda is obtained in the private sector. The structure of the private sector supply chain is similar to that observed in most Developing countries with a few large importers and wholesalers bringing in drugs from international manufacturers or suppliers and selling them to retail pharmacies or drug outlets. In Uganda all wholesalers, importers and retail pharmacies must be registered with the National Drug Authority (NDA). 

There are many companies that engage in the business of importing drugs into the country. Around 70-90% of these are wholesalers based in Kampala who also import pharmaceutical products into Uganda. The remaining 10-30% are based in other urban centers of the country. The importers/wholesalers make deliveries to retail pharmacies and private hospitals in the urban centers. For such deliveries they bear the transportation costs and some of them have their own vehicular fleets. Private hospitals and drug stores from smaller towns come to Kampala to buy drugs from the private importers/wholesalers.

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