Background::
Rational drug use comprises aspects of prescribing, dispensing and patient use of medicines for
different health problems. This study is aimed to assess drug prescribing practice based on the world health organization
prescribing indicators in Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital.
Methods::
An institutional based retrospective cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate prescribing practices in
Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital. Data were collected based on World health organization drug use indicators
using prescription papers. 600 prescriptions dispensed through the general outpatient pharmacy of the hospital were
collected by systematic random sampling method from prescriptions written for a 1-year time in Mizan-Tepi University
teaching hospital.
Results::
The present study found that the average number of drugs per prescription was 2.04 ± 0.87 in Mizan-Tepi
University teaching hospital with a range between 1 and 5. Prescribing by generic name was 97.6 % and 47.8% of
prescriptions contained antibiotics in the hospital. 27.7% of prescriptions contained at least one injectable medication in
Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital. From prescribed drugs, 96.7% of them were prescribed from Ethiopian essential
drug list.
Conclusion::
Present study indicated that the average number of drugs prescribed per encounter, the percentage of generic
prescribing and prescribing from the EDL were close to optimal value. However, the percentage of encounters with
antibiotics and injections prescribed were found be very high. Thus, the study highlights some improvements in
prescribing habits, particularly by focusing on the inappropriate consumption of antibiotics and injections.
The current practice of clinical handover process in emergency departments in National Hospital, Kandy and University Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya: a descriptive cross-sectional study
