Management of tuberculosis by practitioners of Peshawar.

In this report the drug prescribing practices of practitioners are described. The results indicate that a high proportion (80%) of practitioners still prescribe long duration chemotherapy. The most frequently prescribed drugs are rifampicin (87%), isoniazid (89%) and streptomycin (73%). Despite the use of these highly effective drugs the duration of illness after diagnosis in 31% is over three years. The possible reasons for the poor control of the disease are noncompliance with treatment and multidrug resistance of mycobacterium tuberculosis. The prescribing practices of the practitioners indicate that they are not receiving continuing education and training on the case management of TB.