Zambia Reinforces Access to Affordable Healthcare Through Updated Essential Medicines List
The Ministry of Health has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering quality healthcare by updating the Zambia Essential Medicines List (ZEML), ensuring the availability of safe, effective, and affordable medicines at all primary healthcare levels.
Published in the latest Zambia Health Review, the sixth edition of the ZEML reflects the Government’s vision that essential medicines—those that meet the most urgent health needs—must always be available within functioning health systems. The updated list aligns with current treatment guidelines and is accessible to the public via the Ministry’s official website.
Editor of the Ministry of Health, Andrew H. Phiri, emphasized that the updated ZEML aims to improve medicine access in appropriate dosage forms, ensuring quality and affordability for both individuals and the healthcare system.
“Essential medicines cover a wide range of global health needs but represent only a small portion of the total number of medicines available globally,” Phiri stated. “Their use leads to better supply chains, improved prescribing practices, and reduced healthcare costs.”
Director of Clinical Care and Diagnostic Services Dr. Walubita Lusilo explained that medicine selection criteria include disease prevalence, availability of treatment facilities, personnel training, financial resources, and clinical trial data. He emphasized that when multiple medicines exist for a single condition, only the one offering the best benefit-to-risk ratio should be prioritized.
The Ministry has also stressed the importance of fixed-dose combinations only when clinically justified and when they demonstrate improved patient outcomes over separate formulations.
The updated Zambia Essential Medicines List continues to support the country’s goal of delivering universal health coverage, particularly at the primary care level, where health center kits have become pivotal in bridging access gaps.
For full access to the ZEML document, visit: https://www.moh.gov.zm/?wpfb_dl=277
