Drugs are not available to the majority of the population in developin
g countries. Aggravating factors include weak healthcare structure, in
adequate financial resources, nonavailability of pharmaceuticals, lack
of drug legislation and policy, ineffective drug utilisation and the
prevalence of self-medication. Although most of the population lives i
n rural areas, available funds are mostly utilised for urban areas. Th
e use of drugs by injection is common in developing countries. In addi
tion, many patients self-medicate because most drugs are available wit
hout a prescription from a doctor. There is therefore a great need for
prescriber education in rational drug use, and for public education i
n the use of commonly used drugs. National health and drug policies sh
ould be formulated which incorporate the essential drug concept, and d
rug legislation needs to be revamped and implemented effectively. Thes
e measures may be helpful in providing better healthcare to the majori
ty of the population in developing countries.