Perspectives of prescribing practices in public health facilities in Eswatini

Generics/Research | Posted 15/01/2021 post-comment0 Post your comment

Rational medicines use (RMU) is the prescribing/dispensing of good quality medicines to meet individual patient’s clinical needs. Policymakers, managers and frontline providers play critical roles in safeguarding medicine usage thus ensuring their rational use. Therefore, in order to investigate this, researchers carried out a study investigating the perspectives of key health system actors on prescribing practices and factors influencing these in Eswatini [1]. Public sector healthcare service delivery in the region is carried out through health facilities (public sector, not-for-profit faith-based, industrial) and community-based care.

04 AA010978

A qualitative, exploratory study using semi-structured in-depth interviews with seven policymakers and managers, and 32 facility-based actors was conducted. Drawing on Social Practice Theory, material (health system context), competence (provider) and cultural (patient and provider) factors influencing prescribing practices were explored.

Participants were aged between 21‒57 years, had been practicing for 1‒30 years, and were a mix of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and pharmacy-technicians. Factors contributing to irrational medicines use included: poor use of treatment guidelines, lack of RMU policies, poorly functioning pharmaceutical and therapeutics committees, shortages of medicines, lack of pharmacy personnel in primary healthcare facilities, and restrictions of medicines by level of care. Provider-related factors included: knowledge, experience and practice ethic, symptomatic prescribing, high patient numbers. Patient-related factors included late presentation, language and the need to be prescribed multiple medicines.

The authors concluded that, ‘in Eswatini, prescribing practices are influenced by the interaction of factors (health system, provider and patient) that span levels (facility, region and policymaking) of the health system. Promoting RMU thus goes beyond the availability of guidelines and provider training and requires concerted efforts of multiple stakeholders.’

Conflict of interest
The authors of the research paper [1] declared that there was no conflict of interest.

Abstracted by Nondumiso BQ Ncube, Lecturer and PhD Fellow at the Department of Community and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa.

Related articles
South Africa approves first non-originator biological

Quality of generics in South Africa

LATIN AMERICAN FORUM – Coming soon!

To further enhance the objectives of GaBI in sharing information and knowledge that ensure policies supportive of safe biosimilars use, we are pleased to announce that we will be launching a new section on GaBI Online and GaBI Journal, the ‘Latin American Forum’ (in Spanish) featuring the latest news and updates on research and developments in generic and biosimilar medicines in Latin America.

Register to receive the GaBI Latin American Forum newsletter. Inform colleagues and friends of this new initiative.

 

LATIN AMERICAN FORUM – Próximamente!

Para fomentar los objetivos de GaBI sobre la difusión de información y conocimiento sobre las políticas de apoyo que garantizan el uso seguro de medicamentos biosimilares, nos complace anunciar el lanzamiento de una nueva sección en GaBI Online y GaBI Journal, el ‘Latin American Forum’ (en español), que presentará las últimas noticias y actualizaciones en investigación y desarrollo sobre medicamentos genéricos y biosimilares en Latinoamérica.

Regístrese para recibir el boletín informativo GaBI Latin American Forum. Informe a colegas y amigos sobre esta nueva iniciativa. 

Reference
1. Ncube NBQ, Knight L, Bradley HA, et al. Health system actors’ perspectives of prescribing practices in public health facilities in Eswatini: a qualitative study. PLoS One. 2020;15(7):e0235513

Permission granted to reproduce for personal and non-commercial use only. All other reproduction, copy or reprinting of all or part of any ‘Content’ found on this website is strictly prohibited without the prior consent of the publisher. Contact the publisher to obtain permission before redistributing.

Copyright – Unless otherwise stated all contents of this website are © 2021 Pro Pharma Communications International. All Rights Reserved.

comment icon Comments (0)
Post your comment
Most viewed articles
About GaBI
Home/About GaBI Posted 06/08/2009
EU guidelines for biosimilars
EMA logo 1 V13C15
Home/Guidelines Posted 08/10/2010