Pamela Awuor Steele

Revolving Drug Funds in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Pamela Awuor Steele

A Revolving Drug Fund (RDF) is a self-sustaining healthcare financing system in which user fees are collected to cover the cost of healthcare, particularly the procurement and supply of pharmaceuticals. Planning and implementing a successful RDF requires a simultaneous commitment to public health goals and sound business management. This book reports the varied experiences of establishing an RDF in five countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan and Yemen. There are ten primary elements that come into play for establishing, managing and sustaining a successful RDF scheme. These have been extracted from the experiences of the countries listed above. They are initial investment, political commitment, public acceptance, gradual implementation, good management, effective supply chain, user fees and cost recovery, fee exemptions, ensuring quality and accessible healthcare, and use of data. This book is the first of its kind in the field of RDF and will inform investment and help national and local health policymakers, health workers, and academics to research, develop, evaluate, and progressively refine standard operating procedures for RDF schemes.