Transforming Pharmaceutical Services in Ethiopia through Auditable Pharmaceutical Transactions and Services (APTS)

Over the past two decades, Ethiopia has improved its delivery of primary health care services and begun to make great progress toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals, particularly with regard to maternal, newborn, and child health and the prevention and control of HIV and tuberculosis. Yet pharmaceutical services—a patient’s last point of care and one of the country’s single largest health care expenses—remain inadequate.

This technical brief describes how the Systems for Improved Access to Pharmaceuticals and Services (SIAPS) Program responded to complex systemic problems with Auditable Pharmaceuticals Transactions and Services (APTS)—a package of proven interventions designed through SIAPS’ pharmaceuticals system strengthening approach to help transform pharmaceutical services in the country.