Many low- and middle-income countries have identified the prohibitively high cost of asthma inhalers as a key obstacle to providing asthma care. The Union established the Asthma Drug Facility (ADF) as a practical solution to this problem.

 

Through ADF, these countries can now purchase the quality-assured, affordable asthma medicines they need. The ADF has a quality assurance system based on World Health Organization (WHO) norms and standards. It keeps prices down by having a limited competitive process among selected manufacturers based on yearly estimated volumes.

 

The costs of the medicines purchased through the ADF vary from country to country due to differences in transportation costs, importation taxes, customs clearance costs and other local factors. In many countries, the cost of asthma medicines purchased through ADF is nearly half what they had been paying before.

 

In addition to the ADF procurement mechanism, The Union offers a technical package for improving the management of asthma in the general health services. Thus, ADF clients order medicines, but also receive training materials, an information system and a technical guide to help them improve their services.

 

Cost of quality-assured essential asthma medicines/per patient per year*

Country	Before ADF	With ADF
Benin	79€	48€
El Salvador	83€	35€

*Costs vary from country to country due to differences in transportation costs, importation taxes, customs clearance costs and other local factors.

Visit the ADF website to learn more

Contact the ADF