The manual has been reviewed and commented on at each step of its development by many experts within and outside WHO, including:

• For the selection of the indicators: H. Bak Pedersen (EURO/WHO, Copenhagen), J. Baudouy (World Bank, Washington, DC, USA), H. Bangoura (MOH, Guinea), P. Bécu (DRASS, France), K. Besseghir (IUED, Geneva, Switzerland), O. Brasseur (GPA/WHO, Geneva), M. Caraël (GPA/WHO, Geneva), M. Claeson (CDR/WHO, Geneva), V. Diwan (IHCAR, Sweden), M. Everard (EMRO/WHO, Alexandria), G.H. Fernando (University of Colombo, Sri Lanka), N. Gasman (Glas, Nicaragua), P. Hessou (MOH, Benin), C. Hodgkin (HAI, Netherlands), T.B. Ilunga (BAD, Abidjan), D. Jayasuriya (DMP/WHO), K. Kafle (Department of Clinical Pharmacology, IOM, Nepal), J. Kasonde (HRP/WHO, Geneva), Q.L. Kintanar (BFAD, Philippines), Kyaw Win (Directorate of Medical Services, Myanmar), R. Laing (INRUD, Boston, USA), C. Landon (ICO/WHO, Geneva), C. Meillon (Ministère de la Coopération et du Développement, Paris, France), J. Ngaba (MSP, Central African Republic), D. Ofori-Adjei (University of Ghana Medical School, Ghana), E. Ombaka (CMC, Geneva), G. Peters (Institut de Pharmacologie, Lausanne, Switzerland), J. Primrose (DOH, Australia), J. Rankin (MSH, Arlington, USA), S. Sapirie (MEP/WHO, Geneva), P.M. Shah (CHD/WHO, Geneva), A. Sheak (DDA/Ministry of Health, Nepal), K. Shein (SEARO/WHO, New Delhi), N. Shigeno (WPRO/WHO, Manila), P.D. Spivey (School of Pharmacy, Aberdeen, UK), M. Stegeman (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands), G. Tomson (IHCAR, Sweden), C. Torel (EPI/WHO, Geneva), R. Vaurs (World Bank, Washington, DC, USA).

• For field testing of the indicators in terms of clarity, ease of collection, validity and usefulness: H. Bangoura (MSPAS, Guinea), S. Diakite (MSPAS, Guinea), K. Douno (MSPAS, Guinea), E. Feret (CREDES International, France), K.K. Kafle (Tribhuvan University, Nepal), P.R. Khonje (MOH, Malawi) D. Kilayo (MSP, Central African Republic), Q.L. Kintanar (BFAD, Philippines), P.A. Manuel (DOH, Philippines), J. Ngaba (MSP, Central African Republic), D. Pigot (CREDES International, France), A. Sheak (DDA/MOH, Nepal), A. Toumi (MSP, Tunisia).

• Methodology for indicator calculation has been designed with the support of S. Adjei (MOH, Ghana), J. Dumoulin (IREPD, France), A. Fontanet (GPA/WHO, Geneva), M. Garenne (Harvard School of Public Health, USA), S.K. Lwanga (HST/WHO, Geneva), A.N. Malek (DAP/WHO, Geneva), A. Spira (INSERM, France), G. Tomson (IHCAR, Sweden). Methodology for calculating the value of a basket of drugs has been designed with the support of J.M. Fleury (Geode, France).

• Comments at each step of development have been provided by members of the staff of the WHO Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy, including: F.S. Antezana (former Director), D. Fresle, V. Habiyambere, M. Helling-Borda (former Director), J. Hetzke, H.V. Hogerzeil, S. Holand, T. Sodogandji, G. Velasquez, K. Weerasuriya.

• The new version, updated by P. Brudon (EDM/WHO), has benefited from the experiences and comments of researchers and policy-makers who used the indicators in their own country: E. Carandang (Philippines), N.W. Chitalu, R. Kampamba and M. Msoni (Zambia), M. Fofana (Guinea), E. González Sedano (Colombia), M. Laloge and O. Sidibe (Mali), L. Ngarmadjingaye (Chad), Nguyen Thanh Do (Viet Nam), T. Dimitrova and G. Petrova (Bulgaria), G.N.V. Ramana (India), S. Ratanawijitrasin (Thailand), M. Ndlovu and B. Trap (Zimbabwe) and K. Weerasuriya (Sri Lanka). K. Timmermans (EDM/WHO) also contributed greatly to this revised version.

• Secretarial assistance was provided by M. Renevier.

© World Health Organization 1999

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