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Exploring documentation and reporting practices in malaria tracking: a mixed-methods study among formal drug retail
Victor Loglo1, Vincent Uwumboriyhie Gmayinaam2, Mary Akua Ampomah1
1Department of Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana.
Background:
Ghana still faces prevailing malaria cases despite the progress made in reducing its incidence. The formal private drug retail sector most at times tends to be the first source of healthcare for people with fever. However, there is limited information from this sector with regards to the documentation and reporting of malaria cases and other diseases. This study examined malaria documentation and reporting practices among formal drug retail shops in the Hohoe Municipality as part of efforts to enhance tracking of malaria.
Methods:
A concurrent mixed-methods approach was employed, comprising a cross-sectional study of 57 formal drug retail facilities (9 from Community Pharmacies and 48 from Over-the-Counter Medicine Sellers [OTCMS]) and an exploration study of 7 of them. Quantitative data was collected via semi-structured questionnaires and analysed using Stata. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive (frequencies and proportions) and bivariate (fishers' exact test) analysis. Statistical significance was measured at a p-value of 0.05. Qualitative data from 7 in-depth interviews were thematically analysed using ATLAS.ti to identify key themes.
Results:
The median age of the participants was 26 years (IQR = 24-42), with 40 (70.2%) qualified as Counter Medicine Assistants, and 38 (66.7%) having 1-5 years of work experience. Of the 57 shops, 51 (89.5%) lacked documentation and reporting tools; only 5 (10.5%) used paper-based methods with significant differences observed between community pharmacies and OTCMS (p = 0.004). Digital reporting was favoured by 35 (61.4%) of attendants, prioritizing a user-friendly interface, data security, and real-time data submission. Participants highlighted barriers like stress and resource constraints but suggested solutions such as improved staffing, training, and digital infrastructure.
Conclusions:
Malaria documentation and reporting were low, with few facilities relying on paper-based methods. Digital reporting was preferred but faces challenges like resource constraints and inadequate training. Addressing these barriers through infrastructure investments and comprehensive training with collaborations between the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and the Ghana Pharmaceuticals Council (GPC) will improve data accuracy and reporting, even in low-connectivity areas.
