Access to artemisinin-based combination therapies and other anti-malarial drugs in Kinshasa.
Med Mal Infect
; 48(4): 269-277, 2018 Jun.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29530387
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Artemisinin-based combination therapies have been available since 2005 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to treat malaria and to overcome the challenge of anti-malarial drug resistance as well as to improve access to effective treatments. The private sector is the primary distribution source for anti-malarial drugs and thus, has a key position among the supply chain actors for a rational and proper use of anti-malarial drugs. We aimed to assess access to nationally recommended anti-malarial drugs in private sector pharmacies of the capital-city of Kinshasa.METHOD:
We performed a cross-sectional survey of 404 pharmacies.RESULTS:
Anti-malarial drugs were stocked in all surveyed pharmacies. Non-artemisinin-based anti-malarial therapies such as quinine or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, were the most frequently stocked drugs (93.8% of pharmacies). Artemisinin-based combination therapies were stocked in 88% of pharmacies. Artemether-lumefantrine combinations were the most frequently dispensed drugs (93% of pharmacies), but less than 3% were quality-assured products. Other non-officially recommended artemisinin-based therapies including oral monotherapies were widely available.CONCLUSION:
Artemisinin-based combination therapies were widely available in the private pharmacies of Kinshasa. However, the private sector does not guarantee the use of nationally recommended anti-malarial drugs nor does it give priority to quality-assured anti-malarial drugs. These practices contribute to the risk of emergence and spread of resistance to anti-malarial drugs and to increasing treatment costs.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Farmacias
/
Artemisininas
/
Antimaláricos
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Med Mal Infect
Año:
2018
Tipo del documento:
Article