PhD defence R.B. (Relmbuss) Fanda

Below is a brief summary of the dissertation: 

Medicine availability is often unequally distributed, especially within larger countries, such as India, China, Brazil, and Indonesia. While existing efforts to ensure access to medicines are shaped by national governments to standardise healthcare services, challenges have emerged in developing and bolstering policies that incorporate variations in local capacities. Strengthening a local health system, while balancing the interests of all stakeholders within all health system structures, is essential; yet, it is often overlooked, resulting in difficulty in managing the vision of equal access to medicine.  In my PhD trajectory, I aim to strengthen our analytical thinking in conceptualising a new approach, focusing on the local pharmaceutical system. These are “systems in between” local population needs and national medicine policies. In my thesis I found there is a large local variation of context in Indonesia. Strengthening the local pharmaceutical system is essential for providing access to medicines, for example, strengthening the role of pharmacists and district health offices..