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[Study considering the use of medicines in children receiving free care]

Boukary Sana1,2, Ahmed Kaboré2, Hervé Hien3,4

  • 1Direction Générale de l'Accès aux Produits de Santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The Pan African Medical Journal
|March 18, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Rational medicine use in children under five is a concern in Africa. This study found irrational prescribing, particularly with antibiotics, highlighting the need for better pediatric care to prevent overuse and antibiotic resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pharmacology
  • Global Health
  • Health Systems Research

Background:

  • Rational medical prescription is a critical issue for African health systems.
  • This study focuses on medicine use in children aged 0-5 years receiving free healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze medicine utilization patterns in young children (0-5 years) under a free care program.
  • To identify potential areas of irrational prescribing in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 randomly selected primary health facilities in Ouagadougou.
  • Data analysis utilized World Health Organization/International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs (WHO/INRUD) guidelines.
  • Descriptive statistics (average, standard deviation) and ANOVA tests were employed.

Main Results:

  • 1,206 prescriptions were analyzed between April 2016 and March 2017.
  • The average number of medicines per prescription was 2.9, with 88.7% being generic.
  • 83.2% of consultations involved antibiotic prescriptions, and 9.3% included injectables.

Conclusions:

  • Irrational prescribing, especially concerning antibiotics, was identified as a major issue.
  • Urgent attention is needed for the treatment of children under five to curb excessive medicine consumption.
  • Preventing overuse is crucial to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.
Abstract

Keywords:
Rational use of medicineschildren aged 0 to 5 yearsfree health care

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