Availability of essential medicines for hypertension and diabetes in some commune health centres implementing treatment management in Vietnam in 2022

Abstract

The availability of essential medicines is a prerequisite for commune health centres (CHC) to implement management and treatment of hypertension and diabetes as well as attracting patients to come for medical examination and treatment and use services. The study aimed to describe the availability of essential medicines for the treatment of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in commune health centres in 2022. Applying the cross-sectional description method, the study was conducted in 375 CHCs in 13 provinces. Results from the study showed that shortages of essential medicines for the treatment of hypertension and diabetes were still common at CHCs that are implementing the management and treatment of these diseases. Among CHSs implementing hypertension treatment management, 41% of CHSs always had enough of 1 group, 49% of CHCs had 2 groups and 10% CHCs had 3 groups of essential medicine to treat hypertension. Additionally, 61% of CHCs implementing diabetes treatment management had 2 groups of medicines to treat this disease: 62.9% of CHCs always had Metformin available, 39.7% of CHCs had Gliclazide available and 21.2% had pills combining the two medicines. The availability of medicine to treat hypertension and diabetes at CHCs was uneven, with large
differences between provinces. CHCs are under the management of district health centers with the function of examination and treatment had more adequate essential medicines to treat hypertension and diabetes than the remaining CHCs.