Drug utilization and antibiotic use in the primary health care centres in Sharjah

Drug utilization and antibiotic use in the primary health care centres in Sharjah were studied before and after an intervention by the Antibiotics Control Committee. Prescriptions and patient records were reviewed and analysed based on World Health Organization methodology. Before intervention, the average number of drugs per prescription was 2.8, the average consultation time was 10.8 minutes, the average dispensing time was 89 seconds and 92% of visits resulted in a prescription, of which antibiotics constituted 45%. Following intervention, the percentage of prescriptions with antibiotics and the percentage of visits resulting in a prescription were significantly reduced