Snap survey reveals medicine stockouts still plague Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia

"During 'pill check week', researchers visited public health institutions countrywide and checked on the availability of a list of 10 essential medicines. These are medicines that should be readily available in public health facilities.

"Using innovative technology, the team then reported the results through short messaging services (SMS) to a common site, and the data has been reflected in the map above that shows areas where medication is out of stock."

Read more in StopStockouts.org, July, 2009.

Comment: Shortages of antiretrovirals and other medicines are becoming worse and worse, due to the financial crisis, and the widespread government habit of spending vastly more on war than on health.