Knowledge of malaria symptoms, antimalarial drugs Stocked and dispensing practises in acredited drug dispensing outlets, in Morogoro, Tanzania.

Abstract

The Accredited Drug Dispensing Outlets form the lowest level of health care delivery in Tanzania. Inspite of the course offered to dispensers in ADDOs by the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority; on detection and treatment of common infectious diseases; there has been a gap on patient’s assessment, diagnosis, treatment and counselling tasks in accordance with the evidence based standards. This study assessed the dispensers’ knowledge, drugs stocked and dispensing practises in ADDOs in Morogoro Region. A cross-sectional analytical study of 220 randomly selected dispensers from 220 ADDOs in the three Districts of Morogoro Region; conducted between October and December 2012. Questionnaire interview sessions conducted to assess knowledge of malaria symptoms and reported practises. A checklist was used to assess presence of anti-malarial drugs, treatment supplies and guidelines available. The actual practises were assessed using the “Simulated clients” method. Data analysis was done using SPSS software. Chi square test was used to compare proportions and a p-value of less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of the total dispensers, Nurse Assistants 206 (94%), Nurse Officers 9 (4.1%); Clinical Officers 3 (1.4%) and Pharmaceutical Assistants 2 (0.9%). More than half (54%) of them attained secondary while the rest had primary education. 185 (84.1%) of the total, trained TFDA special course. Among dispensers, 90% had the knowledge to pick at least two symptoms of uncomplicated malaria in both children and adults. Likewise 67% of them could do the same for severe malaria in both groups. With TFDA taining the likelyhood of correctly identifying the symptoms of malaria was higher in those trained (P<0.05), compared to those who did not. More than 90% of ADDOs stock and dispense antimalarial monotherapies at equal proportion with subsidized ALu. The results have shown that, dispensers have knowledge to at least make syndromic management of malaria in ADDOs. The TFDA training course to dispensers has been significant finding.Antimalarial monotherapies area still stocked and dispensed to patients in ADDOs.