Drugs Use Practices In Northern Uganda Hospitals: A Case Study Of Gulu Regional Refferal Hospital

ABSTRACT

Background: Irrational use of medicines is a maJor problem worldwide. Studies

conducted in several countries, including Uganda, indicate that more than 50% of all

medicines used globally are used irrationally. Irrational use of medicines results in

increased risk of adverse reactions, wastage of the scarce resources, and development of

preventable resistance of organisms to commonly used antibiotics. To be able design

appropriate interventions, there is need to carry out drug use studies and this was one of

such studies but which targeted Gulu Regional Referral Hospital in Northern Uganda.

Objective: To determine and document drug use practices in Gulu Regional Referral

Hospital.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional case study involving eight hundreds (800)

prescriptions, 44 staff respondents and 50 patients, and review of Health Sector

Strategic Plan indicator medicines in the stores by simple random sampling. The study

was based on the prescribing, patient care and health facility indicators as stipulated by

WHO, as well as evaluation of use of herbal drugs.

Results: The study established that a high number of drugs and antibiotics were being

prescribed, consultation and dispensing times were very low, drug labeling was

inadequate and there were insufficient prescribers and qualified dispensers. The study

also found out that the percentage of prescribed drugs actually dispensed was fairly

good, and most prescriptions were from the Essential Drugs List and by generic names.

However prescription of injections was slightly above the recommended standards although most of the patients had reasonable knowledge of drug dosages.