The availability of essential drugs for children in central Africa is poor, a new study shows. In only three of 14 countries surveyed were more than 50% of the drugs that are considered essential—as indicated by national lists and standard treatment guidelines—available from central medical stores.

“If the availability of these essential medicines for children is as poor as is suggested by the results of this study, we have a lot to do to understand what is happening in the supply systems for medicines in these countries before we can improve them,” say the …