Drug is one of the essential elements in healthcare that should be effectively and efficiently managed. Following the
decentralization in 2001 in Indonesia, drug management has changed in district drug management units and also in
District General Hospitals. Certainly this condition influences the sustainability of drug access in primary health care
such as in Community Health Center and District General Hospital, especially in drug financing policy. A cross
sectional descriptive study to obtain information on drug management in public healthcare in district had been carried
out between July and December 2006 in 10 District Public Drug Management Units from 10 district health offices and 9
district general hospitals as samples. Data were collected by interviewing heads of Drug Section in District Health
Offices and heads of Hospital Pharmacies using structured questionnaires and observing drug storage in District Drug
Management Units, Community Health Centers, and Hospital Pharmacies. Results of the study show that drug planning
in District Health Offices and General Hospitals did not meet the basic real need in some districts nor District Hospitals.
The minimum health service standards had not been achieved yet. Furthermore, drug procurement, storage and
recording as well as reporting was not good enough either, such as shown by the existence of expired drugs. Lead time
for drug delivery to community health centers in some districts was longer than the average of lead time in the past 3 years.