Exploring the Accessibility of Essential Medicine in Paediatric Diseases in a Selected Public Health Facility and Private Pharmacies in Jos Metropolis Nigeria
1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria & Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Federal University of Applied Sciences Kachia, Nigeria.
2 Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medical Sciences, Bingham University, Jos Campus, Nigeria.
3 Department of Pharmacy, Wellington Neurosurgical Center, Abuja Nigeria.
4 Department of Microbiology, College of Health Technology, Zawan, Plateau State Nigeria.
5 Psychology Unit, College of Nursing and Midwifery Kafanchan, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2025, 09(02), 007-013.
Article DOI: 10.53346/wjapmr.2025.9.2.0035
Publication history:
Received 04 November 2025; revised on 12 December 2025; accepted on 15 December 2025
Abstract:
Access to essential paediatric medicines remains a global public health concern, particularly in developing nations where limited availability and high costs hinder effective healthcare delivery. This cross-sectional study evaluated the accessibility, availability, and affordability of essential medicines for children in both a public tertiary healthcare facility—Plateau State Specialist Hospital and selected private community pharmacies in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria. Data were obtained from pharmacy records and pharmacists in charge of medicine stores, analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 25, and presented through descriptive charts and statistical summaries. Results showed that out of 154 total medicine observations, brand formulations (122) were more prevalent than generics (36), indicating a low level of affordable medicine options. While private pharmacies demonstrated greater product variety, their pricing structure placed a substantial financial burden on low-income families. The study also found that patients on minimum wage required several days’ earnings to afford some essential paediatric treatments. These findings underscore major disparities in medicine accessibility between public and private sectors, largely influenced by supply chain inefficiencies, limited local manufacturing, and weak regulatory oversight. This study further emphasizes the urgent need for policy reforms to promote equitable access to affordable paediatric medicines through improved supply systems, price regulation, and local production initiatives. Strengthening public-private collaboration will be crucial in bridging the accessibility gap and advancing universal health coverage for children in Nigeria.
Keywords:
Essential Medicines; Paediatric Access; Affordability; Availability; Plateau State Specialist Hospital; Community Pharmacies; Universal Health Coverage
Full text article in PDF:
Copyright information:
Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0