Abstract:
In Tanzania, health care reforms and privatization have increased the availability of
drugs for lay people through private pharmacies. The private provision of drugs has been
shown to be associated with irrational use of substandard drugs quality and non
compliance to drug regulations. However, there is limited information regarding
adherence to prescription requirements among pharmacy workers in Dar es Salaam
region. The aim of the study was to determine factors influencing prescription adherence
among pharmacy workers in Dar es Salaam region.
A cross sectional study was conducted in July 2009 among 165 pharmacy workers in
Dar es Salaam region. Questionnaires were administered to assess pharmacy worker's
knowledge about Prescription only Medicine (PoM) also to find out how they would
manage a client requesting antibiotics without a prescription. A simulated client method
was administered in order to measure the pharmacy worker's behaviour. Of the 165
respondents interviewed, 87.9% were females and 57% were in the age group of 20-29
years. In this study, we also had a total of 62 encounters as simulated clients among
whom 72.6% were handled by female pharmacy workers.
During interview, 92.7% of pharmacy workers reported that•they would request for a
prescription before dispensing any antibiotics. However, in 62 simulations of a patient
with diarrhea at home 87.1 % (54/62) pharmacy workers did not ask for a prescription.
Although among the 54 simulations a prescription was not requested, 88.9% of the
pharmacy workers agreed to dispense antibiotics. In response to the question "What is
the major factor that influences a pharmacy worker to dispense antibiotics without a
prescription? The major factor reported by more than a half (53%) of pharmacy workers
was client demand.
The study recommends that the community should be sensitized and warned on the
consequences of self administration of Prescription only Medicine (PoM) and pharmacy
I
workers are strongly urged to perform 'their responsibility more competently and
ethically.
