The development of the Essential Drugs Program and implications for self-reliance in Tanzania

This report provides a background history of the Essential Drugs Program (EDP) in Tanzania. Because of a scarcity of drugs in the Ministry of Health (MOH) managed units a program to fill up the empty shelves was welcomed. Critical questions were not addressed about other important policy components. Success of the EDP has been measured in terms of a successful delivery of drugs without questioning the source and its reliability in the near future. Other program components have not been implemented successfully to insure the program's substainability and self-reliance. There is a need to improve local production, quality assurance capability, inspection, intersectoral linkages and active local participation in shouldering the financial burden.