ABSTRACT
Introduction: The accredited drug dispensing outlet(ADDO), popularly known in Swahili as Duka la DawaMuhimu (DLDM) are shops controlled by Pharmacy councilunder Pharmacy Act number 1 of 2011.The Act has specificpremise standards for ADDO shops, and the owners musthave a dispenser trained in ADDO programs. The purpose ofthis study was to determine the presence of selected essentialprescription medicines and trained dispensers in AccreditedDrug Dispensing Outlets shops.Material and methods: A cross section survey was conductedin 44 Accredited Drug Dispensing Outlets out of 46 in fiveDivisions of Hanang district in Manyara region northernTanzania. These Divisions were Balangda, Bassutu, Simbay,Endasack and Katesh.Results: The study found 44(82%) of the intervieweddispensers were trained in Accredited Drug Dispensing Outletsprograms. Also out of 14 selected essential prescriptionmedicines which were assessed, only 60% were available inthese shops.Conclusion: Availability of selected essential prescriptionmedicines is not adequate, as 40% of the assessed medicineswere not available, despite of 82% of Accredited DrugDispensing Outlets shops having trained dispensers, thereis still a significant percent (18%) of them which are run byuntrained dispenser posing risks of irrational treatment toclients of these shops.