Recent global crises such as Ebola and Zika have revealed the dangers of weak health systems.
As countries work to strengthen these systems, Dr. Douglas Keene, vice president of the pharmaceuticals & health technologies group at Management Sciences for Health, advises policymakers to first start by addressing existing regulations and governance.
“While regulations may be there on paper, it's really challenging for countries to enforce them,” said Keene. “Part of the problem is really helping countries develop the skill sets and the capacity to be able to actually enforce the laws that are on the books.”
Watch the full interview above for more insights on why strengthening governance is key for creating greater access to medicines and what should be on the the radar of every global health professional in the coming years.
Access to Medicines is an online conversation to explore work being done to guarantee access to lifesaving medicines, where solutions are still needed. Over three weeks Devex, along with our partner Management Sciences for Health, will analyze and amplify the discussion on global access to medicines and examine the future of medicine access for individuals at the last mile, in a way that saves lives, empowers communities and builds resilient health systems. Join us as we look towards the future, tagging #access2meds and @Devex to share your thoughts.
About the author
Carine Umuhumuza@CarineUmu
Carine Umuhumuza is a former associate director of communications at Devex, where she wrote about the latest trends, tips, and insights on media and communications for the global development community. Previously, Carine led digital initiatives at Devex for development agencies, major corporations, NGOs, and social enterprises.
