COST OF DRUGS AT AN URBAN PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE CENTER IN ALEXANDRA, SOUTH-AFRICA

This report provides an analysis of expenditure on pharmaceuticals at the Alexandra Health Centre and University Clinic (AHC), South Africa. Drug costs increased at a rate higher than for the general expenditur e budget. The drug cost per script per department varied from R9.43 fo r patients attending the diabetic clinic to R0.60 for antenatal care p atients. In general, female consultations at the adult outpatient depa rtment (AOPD) were more expensive than male's and adult's more than pa ediatric's. The largest share of drug costs went to adult female patie nts in AOPD and the smallest share went into preventive and promotive care services. Again the same observations apply for drug costs as per centage of the total costs per clinical department. This study shows t hat drug costs were a significant contributor to the level of primary health care (PHC) expenditure. We discuss the alternatives to cost-rec overy in a concrete situation like the peri-urban community being serv ed by the AHC. It is concluded that in communities similar to Alexandr a it would be possible to provide PHC at about R30 per capita per annu m with about 15% being spent on pharmaceuticals.