RESUMO
Although national and international efforts to combat malaria have intensified over the years, problems with availability, distribution, and choice of antimalarials at medicine outlets in Africa continue to exist. This article presents the results of an indicator-based assessment of availability and choice of antimalarials at 130 licensed medicine outlets in Ghana. We also discuss how the choice of an antimalarial to dispense conforms to recommendations of the national policy for malaria therapy. Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews, by reviewing facility records, and by observing the practices of dispensing staff in the medicine outlets. Antimalarials recommended in the policy were not readily available in the most accessible medicine outlets. Few outlets adhered to the policy when choosing antimalarials. Interventions targeting medicine outlets should be initiated to improve availability and access to effective medicines in order to support the national program for malaria control.
Assuntos
Antimaláricos/provisão & distribuição , Política de Saúde , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Malária/prevenção & controle , Farmácias/estatística & dados numéricos , Serviço de Farmácia Hospitalar/estatística & dados numéricos , Antimaláricos/economia , Antimaláricos/uso terapêutico , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Gana , Humanos , Lactente , GravidezRESUMO
Fifty-five patients who received od gentamicin were studied. The protocol for od gentamicin was followed in 23/55 (48%). Cure rates were 22/23 (96%) when the protocol was followed and 24/32 (75%) when not followed (P = 0.06). Toxicity was more common in those in whom the protocol was not followed (9/32; 28%) than in those in whom it was followed (1/23; 4%) (P< 0.05). The number needed to treat with the protocol to produce one additional cure was 4.84 (95% CI 2.64 to 28.66) and the number needed to treat to prevent one case of toxicity was 3.61 (95% CI 2.16 to 10.99).
