# \[e-drug\] The backbone of correct use of drugs **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [August 2, 2001, 12:11pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-the-backbone-of-correct-use-of-drugs/12046 "2001-08-02T12:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kibumba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c67d28/32.png) [@kibumba](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/kibumba)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2001, 12:11pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-the-backbone-of-correct-use-of-drugs/12046/1 "2001-08-02T12:11:55Z")
E-drug: The backbone of correct use of drugs ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends, Sustainable Management of Essential Medicines by Re-structuring Ministries of Health: A Personal View. Without appropriate infrastructure, it is difficult to manage essential drugs and medicines. And from face value, certain structures are absent in health management systems. The only problem, however, is that adequate analysis of facts is lacking. We have been stereotyped with words like: 'where is the evidence for that argument.' Indeed evidence is needed. But before logically analysing facts prior to seeking evidence, our studies, and intervention(s) may never have positive and sustainable; short-term and long-term impacts. The bother here is that developing countries are often regarded as 'inferior' and unready to have adequately trained and essential professionals. My personal view is that developing countries need technical and relevantly trained workers more than the developed world! Let us focus our attention on the health sector in Uganda. In Uganda, our infrastructure (at Ministry level) has to be adjusted for sustainable and quality drug management to be realized. We need a policy in the ministry that will make it possible to improve diagnostic, nursing and pharmaceutical services. These three aspects of health care are the backbone of correct use of essential medicines. In this vein, I wrote an article for a future edition of The Uganda Health Bulletin. The Bulletin is designed for health policy makers and is about poverty and disease. For those of you interested, please drop me a line and I'd be happy to send it to anyone who may need it. You may find it valuable for your work. The views are mine as a Ugandan Pharmacist with hands-on experience in the Ugandan health sector. Sincerely, George Kibumba, MPS Community and Drug Information Pharmacist / Uganda Personal e-mail: kibumba@yahoo.com Office e-mail: did.jms@imul.com [I could not agree more with George's statement that adequate analysis of facts is often lacking in policy making in health care systems. Structures and interventions are all too often implemented on the basis of the fashion of the day, or on what high level decision makers think is necessary to improve health care delivery. Only much later we learn that key participants of the sector did not want to collaborate, that the intervention did not work and that money was wasted. I think I disagree in that developing countries are regarded as 'inferior' and unready to have adequately trained professionals. I would say that priorities are sometimes assigned incorrectly and that many people (still) believe that even when cutting corners in human resources assignment and not providing adequate training, quality care can still be delivered. I have stopped believing that this is possible. So yes, well trained staff in sufficient numbers are absolutely necessary. In both the developing world and the industrialised world! Thank George for your willingness to share such important discussion documents. It would be good if more E-druggers would do so. HH] -- Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'. Information and archive [http://satellife.healthnet.org/programs/edrug.html](http://satellife.healthnet.org/programs/edrug.html) Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'. For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.