The role and functions of the Essential Medicines Authority

• To PROMOTE RATIONAL USE of essential medicines via evidence based medicines information
• PROMOTE the National Medicines Policy
• Update the Essential medicines List
• Update and Develop Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG)
• Report Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) and Signals to WHO Uppsalla Centre
• Coordinate Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) with Divisional Hospitals
• Secretariat to the National Medicines & Therapeutic Committee (NMTC)
• Coordinate STG workshops as part of the NMTC INITIATIVE
• Provide Medicines & Poisons Information (Process in developing the centre)
• Publish Regular bulletins as ‘The Pharmac Bulletin’

General Information

• ADR Forms 
• Medication Incident Form 
• Product Quality Reporting Form 

Fiji Essential Medicines List

3^rd EDITION 2013

FOREWARD

This edition arises out of the revision of the 2006 Fiji Essential Medicine List (EML) which has now been re-titled as the Fiji Essential Medicines List (EML) 2012.

It is a compilation of work consistently undertaken by the three Divisional Medicines & Therapeutic Committees, the National Medicines & Therapeutic Committee (NMTC) using Standard Treatment Guidelines and protocols.

The Essential Medicines Concept adopted by the World Health Organisation ensures that priority medicines such as Antiretroviral, diseases suffered by the majority of the population and the application of the Vital, Essential and Non Essential Analysis for procurement of cost effective medicine will facilitate the accessibility and affordability of these medicines to the citizens of Fiji.

Furthermore, the EML includes relevant policies formulated by the NMTC, forms and procedures for reporting, Vital Drug list and an attempt to portray estimated cost of all medicines procured through our system.

The work by NMTC in compiling a listing of medicine which have been selected on the basis of quality, safety and efficacy primarily and cost as secondarily for the Ministry of Health service providers and other stakeholders must be recommended.

Pharmaceutical services are integral component of clinical services and every effort be directed towards regular improvement in accessibility, availability and affordability of these safe and efficacious medicines via best practice such as rational use of antibiotics as basis of benchmarking these services.

We should all aspire to achieve and provide the best outcome for our patients and clients.

Eloni Tora (Dr)

Permanent Secretary, Health

December 2012