Pharmacy dispensing practices for Sudanese children with diarrhoea

In order to study the dispensing practices of Khartoum and Khartoum North pharmacies with respect to the management of infantile diarrhoea, a Sudanese woman presented pharmacists with a brief description of an infant with acute diarrhoea. Sixty-three pharmacies were visited; only 3 (5%) recommended oral rehydration salts (ORS) alone. An additional 4 pharmacies (6%) recommended ORS plus either an antimicrobial agent or a physician visit. 39 pharmacies (62%) recommended antimicrobial therapy alone, 9 (14%) recommended a physician visit alone and 7 pharmacies (11%) had no available treatment. On average, antimicrobials cost four times more than two packets of ORS. In order to increase pharmacists' recommendation of ORS, health professional training may be required, perhaps in association with dispensing subsidies. Increased public awareness of ORS should also be encouraged.