Improving Use of Medicines

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-546
Author(s):  
Vandana Roy ◽  
Usha Gupta

In 1994 the Government of Delhi (India) implemented an essential medicines policy in public health facilities (HF) to improve the availability and rational use of medicines (RUM). An essential medicines list (EML) was made. Training programmes in RUM were initiated. After 13 years the outcome of the policy on RUM within public HF was evaluated.  Policy implementation improved the availability of medicines to 91.4 per cent. Prescribing of medicines from EML increased (94.6 per cent) and antimicrobials declined (51.7 per cent). The number of patients with complete knowledge of how to take prescribed medicines improved (53.4 per cent). However, the use of generic medicines declined (18.1 per cent) and prescriptions were mostly incomplete (79.6 percent).  Majority of prescribers lacked awareness about the Drug Policy, including not having undergone training sessions on RUM. There were no Drugs and Therapeutic Committees within HF, and only a few doctors had information about medicines available within the HF. The most common sources of information for medicines were commercial published sources and medical representatives of pharmaceutical companies.  The regulatory intervention of enforcing an EML in public HF has been successful in increasing the use of medicines from the EML and improving some prescribing indicators. However, educational interventions have been inadequate and need to be combined and strengthened to improve the policy outcomes in RUM.

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Elbayouk ◽  
U Halim ◽  
A Ali ◽  
S Javed ◽  
C Cullen

Abstract Background The aim of this systematic review was to outline the prevalence and impact of Gender bias and sexual discrimination (GBSD) in orthopaedics, and to investigate interventions countering such behaviours. Method Original research papers pertaining to the prevalence and impact of gender bias or sexual discrimination, or mitigating strategies in orthopaedics, were suitable for inclusion. PRISMA guidelines were adhered to in this review. Results Of 570 papers, 27 were eligible for inclusion. A total of 13 papers discussed the prevalence of GBSD, whilst 13 related to the impact of these behaviours, and 6 discussed mitigating strategies. GBSD were found to be prevalent in the orthopaedic workplace, with all sources showing females to be the victims. The impact of GBSD includes poor workforce representation, lower salaries, barriers to career progression, and reduced academic output for females in orthopaedics. Mitigating strategies in the literature are focussed on encouraging females to apply for orthopaedic training programmes, by providing female role models, mentors, and educational interventions. Conclusions GBSD are highly prevalent in orthopaedic surgery, impacting females at all stages of their careers. Mitigating strategies have been tested but are limited in their scope. As such, the orthopaedic community as a whole is obliged to do more to tackle GBSD.


Author(s):  
Hoda Ibrahim Rizk ◽  
Monira Mahmoud Elkholy ◽  
Abeer Abdou Barakat ◽  
Raghda Mostafa Mostafa Elsayed ◽  
Shaimaa A. M. Abd El Fatah

Abstract Background Equitable access to essential medicines of maintained efficacy, safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness must be ensured by a well-functioning health system. This study aims to identify the determinants of patients’ access to medicines at the primary health care (PHC) level from the perspectives of various (internal and external) stakeholders of the pharmaceutical system. Methods The study employed both quantitative and qualitative components. Quantitative component applied a descriptive a cross-sectional design and qualitative component applied an in-depth interview design. It was a health system research conducted at two (PHC) facilities (one urban and the other rural) in Egypt. It inquired upon political, economic, and managerial aspects of the pharmaceutical system utilizing the “Health System Assessment Approach: a How-To Manual” and the “WHO operational package for assessing, monitoring and evaluating country pharmaceutical situations.” Results Analysis of the quantitative data extracted from the cross-sectional component with external stakeholders (patients) revealed that about one-third of patients in both facilities were unable to pay for the medicine. Patients in both settings took less than an hour to reach the PHC facility. The Percent of patients who believe that the private pharmacies’ medicine is better than the PHC one was significantly higher in rural than urban group (24% and 10% respectively) and the percent of medicines dispensed was 50% and 66.7% in rural and urban groups respectively. Analysis of the qualitative data extracted from in-depth interviews with internal stakeholders (key informants from regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical industry, academia, pharmacists, and physicians) were summarized utilizing Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Challenges (SWOC) analysis approach. Various viewpoints toward the determinants of patients’ access to medicines were disclosed. Conclusions The Percent of medicines dispensed was insufficient in both rural and urban facilities. There is a need to invest in building trust in generic medicine quality in the government health facilities focusing on improving medicine availability and ensuring enough amounts of high-quality drugs. Although there are drug committees in the two studied PHC facilities for demonstrating the prescribing and dispensing policies, yet the system required to enforce these policies is still deficient.


Mediscope ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-15
Author(s):  
MS Mallick

The aim of this descriptive type of study on diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) cases was to evaluate the incidence of TB in Narail district to have a situational analysis with the achievement of National TB Control Program. Related data were collected from the Civil Surgeon Office, Narail district. The data of 3 upazilas- Narail Sadar, Kalia, and Lohagora were used. The study period was from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. The overall TB case rate was 156.6 per 100000 population and separately 170.9 per 100000 population in Narail Sadar, 142.2 per 100000 population in Kalia and 156.6 per 100000 population in Lohagora. Of the cases, 56.4% were male and 43.6% female. Overall, 89.7% of the TB cases had pulmonary TB and 10.3% had extra-pulmonary TB. The population with higher age had higher proportion having TB. The highest number of patients were referred for diagnosis by sastha sebika (nurse) and non-government field staff. The TB incidence in Narail district was considered to be lower than the National situation. However, it seems that TB will remain as a continuous concern for many years in future for the country as well as Narail district. The activities of National TB Control Program of the Government of Bangladesh needs to be strengthened further to combat TB in BangladeshMediscope Vol. 5, No. 2: Jul 2018, Page 12-15


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Eskander ◽  
A Khallaf ◽  
S Zaki ◽  
M Elkawafi ◽  
R Makar

Abstract Background Since the outbreak of COVID-19; social distancing and recognized effective precautions were recommended by various governments to fight the viral spread. Our aim was to assess the inpatient knowledge and compliance with the government guidelines during their hospital stay and at their discharge in two different NHS hospitals. Method The study took place in two hospitals: Berrywood hospital, UK and Countess of Chester hospital, UK. We invited inpatients to answer an anonymized questionnaire which was designed to include the contemporary government guidelines. We excluded patients with cognitive impairment and those who were not expected to be discharged within days. Results Out of 209 patients, 50% were male. Patients showed good awareness of the main symptoms of the virus (90%). However, A significant number of patients were not fully aware of the recommended precautions to minimize viral spread (28%) and the method of spread (43%). About 41% did not know the recommended safe distance. Conclusions Despite being aware of the main symptoms of COVID-19, a significant number of patients lack essential information needed to minimize the spread of the virus in the society and hospital. We recommend providing patients with information leaflets and direct advice on admission and discharge.


Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Oumar Bassoum ◽  
Mouhamadou Faly Ba ◽  
Ndèye Marème Sougou ◽  
Djibril Fall ◽  
Adama Faye

Introduction: Data on drug use in paediatrics are scarce in Senegal. The objective of this study was to assess the prescribing indicators in a paediatric population seen in an outpatient consultation at a Health Centre in Dakar, Senegal. Methods: A retrospective and analytical study was conducted. The study population consisted of prescriptions for children aged 0 to 14 years who were seen in ambulatory consultation between 1 June and 30 November 2019. The sample size was 600 prescriptions. The systematic survey was then conducted. Five prescription indicators recommended by the World Health Organization were calculated. The R software was used for descriptive analysis, bivariate analysis and binomial logistic regression. Results: The average number of drugs per prescription was 2.56. The proportion of drugs prescribed under the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) was 18.9%, while the proportion of drugs on the National Essential Medicines List (NEML) was 41.3%. The proportions of prescriptions with at least one antibiotic and one injectable product were 41.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Conclusions: This study showed that prescribing habits were inadequate. Thus, it would be necessary to move towards continuing training of prescribers in the wise use of medicines.


Author(s):  
MANOJ KUMAR JINDAL ◽  
Dr. Santosh Kumar Sar

The situation in the world of pandemics is rapidly changing, and the second wave of COVID-19 has put a lot of pressure on the government and private sector, which are primarily responsible for controlling the situation. COVID-19 positive cases have increased in recent months relative to last year, and the number of patients admitted to hospitals has also increased, despite the fact that few of them were denied admission due to shortage of beds. Normal people who experience any symptoms immediately isolate themselves and begin taking the COVID medications prescribed by medical personnel and their team. During these times, all domestic people tossed the wrappers and boxes of medicines into the regular trash can, and the waste was handed over to the waste collector, who treated it like any other domestic waste and disposed of it using open dumping or other methods. The goal of this perspective is to suggest the collections of these types of waste from domestics, and protect the natural resources like water, soil, and even living beings like animals from pollution (from the effect of SARS-CoV-2). The main challenge for environmental waste management agencies is determining who has COVID positive and which houses generate these types of waste; thus, proposed strategy may be beneficial to the long-term sustainability of natural resources and animals.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keratilwe Bodilenyane ◽  
Baakile Motshegwa

AbstractThe purpose of this research paper was to explore how HIV/AIDS manipulate nurses’ perception of their workload and pay in the era of HIV/AIDS in Gaborone and the surrounding areas of Botswana. The health care sector in Botswana is overwhelmed by HIV/AIDS, and this takes a toll on the nurses because they are the ones at the forefront in the fight against this demanding and risky illness at the workplace. The focus in this study was on the workload and pay in the era of HIV/AIDS. The general picture that emerges from the current study is that nurses are dissatisfied with their pay and to some extent the workload and this supports some of the earlier studies which reinforce their importance in the workplace. The study used both primary and secondary sources of information. For the purpose of this study convenience sampling was used. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The study adapted Index of Organizational Reactions (IOR). The findings of the current study will help the government to design strategies that will increase the level of job satisfaction among the nurses in the public health care sector of Botswana.


2015 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 320-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes Shin-Man Choy ◽  
Philip Kam-Tao Li

In Hong Kong, the average annual cost of haemodialysis (HD) per patient is more than double of that of peritoneal dialysis (PD). As the number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has surged, it has posed a great financial burden to the government and society. A PD-first policy has been implemented in Hong Kong for three decades based on its cost-effectiveness, and has achieved successful outcomes throughout the years. A successful PD-first policy requires medical expertise in PD, the support of dedicated staff and a well-designed patient training programme. Addressing patients' PD problems is the key to sustainability of the PD-first policy. In this article, we highlight three important groups of patients: those with frequent peritonitis, ultrafiltration failure or inadequate dialysis. Potential strategies to improve the outcomes of these groups will be discussed. Moreover, enhancing HD as back-up support and promoting organ transplantation are needed in order to maintain sustainability of the PD-first policy.


2020 ◽  
pp. 498-500
Author(s):  
Doroteea TEOIBAS-SERBAN ◽  
Liviu IORDACHE ◽  
Dan BLENDEA

Introduction. Pucioasa is one of the greater and sadly, almost forgotten balneological resort of Romania. Known since the 18th century, where it was discovered a record of this area on the Austrian map in 1791 with sulphurous streams, the healing waters of the “Pe Pucioasa” hill enters the therapeutic balneological circle when the first water analysis occurred – 1821-1828 by Dr. Trangot von Schobel. In 1878, Ion Ghica, a prominent figure in Romania at that time initiated the exploitation of 14 wells from the 30 known streams of sulphurous and ferruginous waters, thus obtaining enough healing mineral water for a capacity of 60 beds of the balneological establishment. Since 1841, the Resort developed, transformed into a Rehabilitation Clinic (1969) and the number of patients treated there increased from 20 in the beginning to 1000 patient per day. Many of the patients included foreign elite society members who came regularly to benefit from the waters’ healing properties, both external and internal cures, setting Pucioasa on a high level of not only balneology treatment, but also of balneological tourism. Matherials and methods: Studying local industrializations and water analysis, we concluded that there were many factors that contributed to the decline of this great and international renowned balneological resort. The first wrong step in this direction was made when building and extending de gypsum carrier, the peek being between 1970 and 1975, when the industrial forging process made the sulphurous streams to migrate, and the waters from the wells diminished in its sulphur and iron concentration. Another possible factor for the decline can be the modernisation of the medical world, development of anti-inflammatory drugs and modern medical equipment which reduced the need for the elite society to come a long distance for the balneological treatment. Results: Whichever of the reasons, the once prosperous Balneological Resort of Pucioasa fell into an unknown, unimpressive place, known and frequented only by the locals. The Rehabilitation Clinic still has 60 beds, which are occupied to the maximum each month, it still prospers on a local level, but lost its glory from almost a century ago. Conclusions: The Romanian general population and the government must take an interest to one of the many once prosperous balneological resorts in order to revive the national treasure of Romania which is balneology, which many of the developed European countries only wish that they can possess. Keywords: Balneary Resort, Pucioasa,


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Erlandson Ferreira SARAIVA ◽  
Leandro SAUER ◽  
Basílio De Bragança PEREIRA ◽  
Carlos Alberto de Bragança PEREIRA

In December of 2019, a new coronavirus was discovered in the city of Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization officially named this coronavirus as COVID-19. Since its discovery, the virus has spread rapidly around the world and is currently one of the main health problems, causing an enormous social and economic burden. Due to this, there is a great interest in mathematical models capable of projecting the evolution of the disease in countries, states and/or cities. This interest is mainly due to the fact that the projections may help the government agents in making decisions in relation to the prevention of the disease. By using this argument, the health department of the city (HDC) of Campo Grande asked the UFMS for the development of a mathematical study to project the evolution of the disease in the city. In this paper, we describe a modeling procedure used to fit a piecewise growth model for the accumulated number of cases recorded in the city. From the fitted model, we estimate the date in which the pandemic peak is reached and project the number of patients who will need treatment in intensive care units. Weekly, was sent to HDC a technical report describing the main results.


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