Skip to main content

Table 5 Comparison between the WHO PMWC list and SA STG/EMLs

From: Quantitative evaluation of essential medicines lists: the South African case study

Priority life‐saving medicines for children under five years of age for major causes of mortality and morbidity, palliative care and child survival

Condition

Drug

Formulation and Strength

PHC 2008

ADULT 2012

PAED 2013

Mol

DF

Mol

DF

Mol

DF

Pneumonia

Amoxicillin

dispersible, scored tablets 250 mg and 500 mg or equivalent flexible oral solid dosage form

X

  

X

Pneumonia

Ampicillin

powder for injection 500 mg and 1 g

X

   

IV

Pneumonia

Ceftriaxone

powder for injection 250 mg and 1 g

IV

  

IV

Pneumonia

Gentamicin

injection 40 mg/ml; 20 mg/ml

X

   

IV

Pneumonia

Oxygen

medicinal gas

   

 

Diarrhoea

Oral rehydration salts (ORS):

sachets of 200 ml; 500 ml and 1 l, appropriate flavour

sachets

  

sachets

Diarrhoea

Zinc

20 mg scored dispersible tablet or equivalent flexible oral solid dosage form

X

   

X

 

Malaria

Artemesinin combination therapy (ACT)

dispersible tablet or flexible oral solid dosage form and dose optimized

X

   

X

 

Malaria

Artesunate

rectal and injection dosage forms 50–200 mg

X

   

X

 

Neonatal sepsis

Ampicillin

powder fir injection 250 mg and 500 mg

X

   

IV

Neonatal sepsis

Ceftriaxone

powder for injection 250 mg and 500 mg

IV

  

IV

Neonatal sepsis

Gentamicin

injection 40 mg/ml; 20 mg/ml

X

   

IV

Neonatal sepsis

Procaine benzylpenicillin

powder for injection 1 g

X

   

IM

HIV

Standard regimen for first-line antiretroviral treatment

1 NNRTI + 2 NRTIs e.g. lamivudine + nevirapine + zidovudine - tablet 30 mg + 50 mg + 60 mg; 150 mg + 200 mg + 300 mg

oral

  

oral

Vitamin A deficiency

Vitamin A

capsule 100 000 IU strength; 200 000 IU strength

capsule

  

capsule

Palliative care/Pain

Morphine

granules 20 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg; injection 10 mg/ml, oral liquid 10 mg/5 ml,

IV

  

Oral liquid

Palliative care/Pain

Paracetamol

variable flexible oral solid dosage forms

x

  

x

Vaccines

BCG

 

   

 

Vaccines

Hepatitis B

 

   

 

Vaccines

Polio

 

   

 

Vaccines

DTP

 

   

X

 

Vaccines

Haemophilus influenze Type b

 

   

X

 

Vaccines

Pneumococcal (conjugate)

 

X

   

 

Vaccines

Rotavirus

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Measles

 

   

 

Vaccines

Rubella

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

HPV

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Japanese Encephalitis

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Yellow fever

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Tick Borne encephalitis

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Typhoid

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Cholera

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Meningococcal

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Hepatitis A

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Rabies

 

   

 

Vaccines

Mumps

 

X

   

X

 

Vaccines

Influenze (Inactivated)

 

   

 

Priority life‐saving medicines for women for major causes of sexual and reproductive health related mortality and morbidity

 

 Post-partum haemorrhage

Oxytocin

injection 10 IU in 1‐ml ampoule

 

   

 Post-partum haemorrhage

Misoprostol

tablet 200 micrograms (when oxytocin is not available or cannot safely be used)

 

   

 Post-partum haemorrhage

Sodium chloride

injectable solution 0.9% isotonic or

 

   

 Post-partum haemorrhage

Sodium lactate compound

injectable solution (Ringer’s lactate) for infusion

 

X

   

 Severe pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia

Magnesium sulfate

injection 500 mg/ml in 10‐ml ampoule

 

   

 Severe pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia

Calcium gluconate injection (for treatment of magnesium toxicity)

100 mg/ml in 10‐ml ampoule

 

   

 Severe pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia

Hydralazine

powder for injection 20 mg (hydrochloride) in ampoule or tablet 25 mg; 50 mg (hydrochloride)

X

 

   

 Severe pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia

Methyldopa

tablet 250 mg

 

   

 Maternal sepsis

Ampicillin

powder for injection 500 mg; 1 g

X

 

   

 Maternal sepsis

Gentamicin

injection 40 mg/ml in 2‐ml vial

X

 

   

 Maternal sepsis

Metronidazole

injection 500 mg in 100‐ml vial

X

 

   

 Abortion/miscarriage

Misoprostol

tablet 200 micrograms

 

   

 Abortion/miscarriage

Mifepristone + misoprostol

tablet 200 mg + tablet 200 micrograms (where permitted under national law)

X

 

   

 STIs

Azithromycin

capsule 250 mg; 500 mg or oral liquid 200 mg/5 ml

X

 

X

   

 STIs

Cefixime

capsule 400 mg

 

   

 STIs

Benzathine Benzylpenicillin

powder for injection 900 mg benzylpenicillin in 5 ml vial; 1,44 g benzylpenicillin in 5 ml vial

 

   

 Preterm labour

Nifedipine

immediate release capsule 10 mg

 

   

 preterm labour (foetal lung maturity)

Dexamethasone

injection 4 mg dexamethasone phosphate (as disodium salt) in 1‐ml ampoule or

X

 

   

 preterm labour (foetal lung maturity)

Betamethasone

injection 6 mg/ml (3 mg/ml betamethasone sodium phosphate + 3 mg/ml betamethasone acetate) in an aqueous vehicle

 

   

 Maternal Malaria

Artesunate

parenteral

X

 

X

   

 Maternal Malaria

Artemether

parenteral

X

 

X

   

 Maternal Malaria

Quinine

parenteral

 

   

 Maternal HIV/AIDS

AZT; 3TC; EFV; NVP; EFV; TDF; FTC; ABC; LPV

Doses not stipulated

 

   

 Prevention of tetanus from MTC

Tetanus vaccine

 

 

   

 Contraception

Oral contraceptives such as ethinylestradiol + levonorgestrel

tablet 30 micrograms + 150 micrograms;

 

   

 Contraception

levonorgestrel

750 micrograms (pack of 2);

 

X

   

 Contraception

Injectable: estradiol cypionate + medroxyprogesterone acetate

injection 5 mg + 25 mg or

X

 

X

   

 Contraception

medroxyprogesterone acetate

depot injection 150 mg/ml in 1‐ml vial or

 

X

   

 Contraception

norethisterone enantate

200 mg/ml in 1‐ml ampoule

 

X

   

 Contraception

implantable: levonorgestrel-releasing implant

150 mg total

X

 

X

   

 Contraception

intrauterine devices and barrier methods of contraception

copper-containing devices; condoms; diaphragms

 

X

   
  1. Mol Molecule, DF Dosage Form