Principles

The fundamental principle is to create important for the whole system, mainly through the centralisation of purchases and a more efficient way of resource handling. The principal way of achieving the above is the Consolidated Purchase system - a method that will permit to assure the access to and financing of essential medicines. The main influencing factors that will permit to gain access to lower prices are:

• Efficient association with public organisations.
• Political good will.
• Availability of local distribution and medical assistance systems.
• Client and supplier education.

Environment

The Public Health Sector purchases more than 3.000 different products for its network of hospitals and assistance centres in a pharmaceutical purchase market characterised by a great information asymmetry and demand dispersion (more than 550 requisitioning agents from the public sector requiring products).

The focus of the entity is on the public health market, composed by hospitals which form part of the National Health Service System (S.N.S.S.) and municipal primary assistance centres which also form part of the general system. The market also considers organisations or people subscribed in the S.N.S.S. in their capacity as health providers, such as the Armed forces, Uniformed Police, Universities and the Ministry of Health. Among our clients we could name: National Health Service System (S.N.S.S) establishments:

National Health Service System (S.N.S.S) establishments:

• 22 Assistance Centres subscribed to the National Health Service System
• 194 Public Hospitals.
• 5 Reference Health Centres.
• 6 Therapeutic Diagnostic Centres (C.D.T.).

Primary Assistance Health Centres:

• 154 General rural Assistance Centres (CGR).
• 57 Family Health Centres (CSF).
• 105 Primary Assistance and Emergency Services (SAPU).
• 262 General Urban Assistance Centres (CGU).
• 35 Mental Health clinics (COSAM).