Informatics for Medicines Management Systems in Resource-Limited Settings

Abstract

Improved access to information is necessary to ensure achievement of the potential benefits of medicines in resource-limited countries. The scaling up of treatment and prevention programs involving medicines in resource-limited regions with high disease burdens requires proper and urgent attention to the development and use of information technologies. Areas of need for medicines management systems informatics include prescribing, dispensing, pharmaceutical care, administration, patient monitoring, education and training, supply chain management, and monitoring and evaluation of program performance. Such information systems should strive to collect and manage data that are a standardized, compiled, and made easily accessible for use by key stakeholders, including ministries of health, medicines regulators, pharmaceutical industry, public health programs, academic researchers, donor organizations, the health care delivery sector, and ultimately the public and patients. A framework is described for medicines management systems informatics in resource-limited settings.