Improving access to medicines to reduce marketing and use of substandard and falsified medicines in Africa: Scoping review.

Background: Both constrained access to essential medicines and combatting marketing of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines are unmet health sector goals in Africa. Objective: To answer the question of how improved access can reduce the continuous surge of SF medicines in Africa. Design: We conducted a scoping review based on standard protocol. Methods: We searched articles published in the English language from PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar by using a systematic search query. Results: Seventy-one articles were included in this review. Access to quality essential medicines is still a major problem in developing countries in Africa and will continue as a threat for the next decade of health care. Ensuring access to quality medicines and preventing SF medicines in Africa need a systematic approach to address their underlying causes. Failure to ensure access to medicines is the major reason for the availability of SF medicines. Improving access to quality medicines can reduce SF medicine marketing and use. Manipulating the entire supply chain for efficiency, avoiding trade agreements that could reduce access, using compulsory licensing provisions, and pharmaceutical price control, providing incentives for drug development, and promoting rational use of medicines can improve access. Conclusion: Ensuring access to medicines and preventing SF medicine marketing cannot be achieved in the planned period in developing countries in Africa unless a comprehensive strategy is used. Improving access to quality medicines can reduce SF medicine marketing and use, that is, ensuring access through uninterrupted supply, improved efficiency, enhanced local production, preventing SF medicine entry, improved medication use system, and improved affordability. Therefore, it is essential to improve supply chain capability, address challenges of the supply chain, improve leadership and governance, establish country-specific anti-counterfeiting and anti-substandardization committees, and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders.

Reduce Marketing and Use of Substandard and Falsified Medicines in Africa Ensuring access to quality medicines and preventing SF medicines in Africa need ensuring access through uninterrupted supply, improved efficiency, enhanced local production, preventing SF medicine entry, improved medication use system, and improved affordability.

Healthcare waste management practice and associated factors among healthcare workers in public healthcare facilities of Southwest Shewa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia.

Poor management of waste can cause serious disease to healthcare personnel, cleaners, waste handlers, patients and the public. An observation-supported cross-sectional study was conducted to assess healthcare waste (HCW) management practice and professional, management and resource availability-associated factors among healthcare workers of 23 public health facilities in Southwest Shewa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia, 2021. A total of 424 health workers participated in this study. The level of proper healthcare waste management (HCWM) practice was 38.4%. Lack of knowledge on different methods of healthcare waste treatment (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.101, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.042, 0.242, p < 0.05)), lack of knowledge about the types of healthcare waste (AOR: 0.136, 95% CI (0.039, 0.481, p < 0.05)), lack of knowledge on the use of different colour-coded waste bin and safety box (AOR: 0.145, 95% CI (0.040, 0.520, p < 0.05)), and healthcare workers who had no training/orientation on HCWM practice (AOR: 0.396, 95% CI (0.245, 0.639, p < 0.05)) were less likely to practice effective HCWM compared to their counterparts. The current HCWM practices in studied health facilities was inadequate. Professional knowledge and availability of training were independently associated with HCWM practice. Therefore, regular orientation during employment and on-job training on HCWM practice, regular monitoring and supervision of HCWM are important. Further research should be conducted on the area of HCWM, and its associated environmental impacts by using more strong methods and wider health facilities.

Incidence and factors associated with deep vein thrombosis among hospitalized adult patients at Hawassa university comprehensive specialized hospital Hawassa city, Sidama, Ethiopia: retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Deep vein thrombosis is a public health problem with substantial morbidity and mortality globally. In Ethiopia, death due to complications of DVT is very significant however its incidence, risk factors, and preventive methods are not well studied. To assess the incidence and factors associated with deep vein thrombosis among hospitalized adult patients at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia. METHOD: Intuitional-based retrospective study design was employed in July1-August 30, 2022 in 660 randomly selected patients' record cards. The patients' record cards were reviewed from 2012 to 2014 at Hawassa University Compressive Specialized Hospital. The data entry and analysis were done by using Epi Info and SPSS version 24. After adjusting covariates at a 95% confidence interval, an independent variable with a P value < 0.05 was declared significantly associated with deep vein thrombosis. An odds ratio was calculated to measure the strength of the relationship independent variable and deep vein thrombosis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of DVT was 10.6% [95% CI: 8.5%, 13.1%]. After adjusting for covariates, orthopedic trauma; AOR = 2.6 (95% CI (1.2-5.4), corona virus; AOR = 2.5 (95%CI (1.07-5.1), and hospital stay > 15 days; AOR = 2.2 (95% CI (1.25-3.94) were significantly associated with deep vein thrombosis. CONCLUSION: DVT incidence is high among hospitalized patients. An orthopedic trauma, a recent infection of the coronavirus, and a hospital stay above 15 days were a risk to acquire deep vein thrombosis. Early identification and detection of patients at high risk of developing DVT and provision of prophylaxis are recommended.

Determinants of under-five pneumonia in randomly selected health facilities at Aleta Wondo Woreda, Sidama Region Ethiopia: Case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Under-five mortality reduction due to pneumonia is not Signiant, particularly in developing countries. Pneumonia contributed to 27.5% to 31.3% of health facility visits by children 2 to 59 months in Aleta Wondo Woreda. Previous studies have shown inconclusive evidence on determinants of pneumonia in children. METHODS: An institution-based unmatched case-control study was conducted to assess determinants of pneumonia among under-five children at Aleta Wondo Woreda, Sidama Region. RESULT: One-hundred forty-five cases and 290 controls of children aged 2 to 59 months participated in the study. The mean ± (SD) age of the children was 18.81 months (2.1 ± 11.43) and 28.26 months (2.1 ± 16.007) for cases and controls, respectively. Only 56% (n = 145) of cases open house windows daily, whereas most 68.6% (n = 290) of controls house windows open daily. Ninety five (62.8%) of cases and 68.6% of controls were exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Household income ≥1500 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI, 0.017-0.120, p < 0.000), child location outside of cooking house during cooking (AOR = 0.101, 95% CI, 0.43-0.238, p < 0.000), no formal education of the mother (AOR = 2.398, 95% CI, 1.082-5.316, p < 0.031), and presence of history of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in last 2 weeks (AOR = 2.183, 95% CI, 1.684-5.273, P < 0.049) were determinants of pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Determinants of pneumonia in under-five children were multifactorial (socioeconomic, nutritional, and environmental). Addressing these factors by involving all relevant stakeholders is important to reduce pneumonia-related morbidity and mortality among under-five children in the study area.

Cost-effectiveness of hypertension therapy based on 2020 International Society of Hypertension guidelines in Ethiopia from a societal perspective.

INTRODUCTION: There is inadequate information on the cost-effectiveness of hypertension based on evidence-based guidelines. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of hypertension treatment based on 2020 International Society of Hypertension (ISH) guidelines from a societal perspective. METHODS: We developed a state-transition Markov model based on the cardiovascular disease policy model adapted to the Sub-Saharan African perspective to simulate costs of treated and untreated hypertension and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted by treating previously untreated adults above 30 years from a societal perspective for a lifetime. RESULTS: The full implementation of the ISH 2020 hypertension guidelines can prevent approximately 22,348.66 total productive life-year losses annually. The incremental net monetary benefit of treating hypertension based was $128,520,077.61 US by considering a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000 US per DALY averted. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of treating hypertension when compared with null was $1,125.44 US per DALY averted. Treating hypertension among adults aged 40-64 years was very cost-effective 625.27 USD per DALY averted. Treating hypertensive adults aged 40-64 years with diabetes and CKD is very cost-effective in both women and men (i.e., 559.48 USD and 905.40 USD/DALY averted respectively). CONCLUSION: The implementation of the ISH 2020 guidelines among hypertensive adults in Southern Ethiopia could result in $9,574,118.47 US economic savings. Controlling hypertension in all patients with or with diabetes and or CKD could be effective and cost-saving. Therefore, improving treatment coverage, blood pressure control rate, and adherence to treatment by involving all relevant stakeholders is critical to saving scarce health resources.

Antihypertensive prescribing pattern, prescriber adherence to ISH 2020 guidelines, and implication of outpatient drug price on blood pressure control at selected hospitals in Southern Ethiopia.

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of drug prescribing pattern, outpatient drug price of medicines, and level of adherence to evidence-based international guidelines on blood pressure (BP) control at selected hospitals in Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted. The data entry and analysis were done by using SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: A mean age of participants was 55.87 ± 11.02 years. The rate of BP control was 17.5% based on International Society of Hypertension (ISH) guidelines 2020. In about two-thirds of patients, 270 (66.5%) were taking combination therapy. Mean annual cost of drugs for hypertension was 11.39 ± 3.98 US dollar (USD). Treatment was affordable for only 91 (22.4%) of patients. There was considerable variation on prescriber's adherence to evidence-based guidelines. Body mass index (BMI) of 18-24.9 kg/m2, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.63 (95% confidence interval (C.I), 1.169-11.251, p = 0.026), physically activity, AOR = 12.69 (95% C.I, 1.424-113.17, p = 0.023), presence of no comorbidity, AOR = 12.82 (95% C.I, 4.128-39.816, p = 0.000), and taking affordable antihypertensive regimen, AOR = 3.493 (95% C.I, 1.4242-9.826, p = 0.018), were positively associated BP control. CONCLUSION: The level of BP control, affordability of drugs for the management of hypertension and related comorbidities, and the prescriber's adherence to evidence-based guidelines were inadequate. Therefore, addressing factors associated with good BP control including affordability and clinician adherence to evidence-based guidelines by responsible stakeholders could improve BP control and reduce associated complications.

Assessment of quality of care provided to adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus at public hospitals in Gamo Gofa zone, Southern Ethiopia: Facility based Cross-Sectional study.

PURPOSE: Proactive management of type 2 diabetes is important for restoring beta-cell function and improving sustained blood glucose control. Evidence on quality of diabetes care in Ethiopia is inadequate. METHOD: Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess level of quality of care provided to adult type 2 diabetes patients at three public hospitals in Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia. RESULTS: A total of 210 adult type 2 diabetes patients were included. The mean age of patients was 44.1 ± 9.94 years. Fifty-one (24.3%) of patients adhered to prescribed medicines. Sixty-seven (31.9%) patients could benefit from neuropathy screening and referral. Diabetes-specific evidence-based guidelines, operational plan to reduce overweight and obesity were not available. There was no periodic lipid profile, renal function and glycated haemoglobin testing. Sixty-three (30%) patients achieved fasting blood glucose (FBG) level. Only 41 (19.5%) achieved the recommended target value for composite intermediate outcomes. All three sub-components of quality care structure, process and outcome (SPO) were below the agreed minimum score and the quality of care provided to adult type 2 diabetes was poor. Only 41 (19.5%) achieved agreed quality indicator targets for type 2 diabetes (fasting blood glucose blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). CONCLUSION: The quality of care provided to adult type 2 diabetes patients was poor particularly in areas such as availability of evidence-based guidelines, operational plan to reduce obesity, monitoring of lipid profile and glycaemic control. Therefore, developing strategies for addressing structure, process and outcome-related gaps by involving all stakeholders is critical for improving the quality of care provided to these patients.

Societal economic burden of hypertension at selected hospitals in southern Ethiopia: a patient-level analysis.

OBJECTIVES: There is inadequate information on the economic burden of hypertension treatment in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the societal economic burden of hypertension at selected hospitals in Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Prevalence-based cost of illness study from a societal perspective was conducted. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were determined by the current WHO's recommended DALY valuation method. Adjustment for comorbidity and a 3% discount was done for DALYs. The data entry, processing and analysis were done by using SPSS V.21.0 and Microsoft Excel V.2013. RESULTS: We followed a cohort of 406 adult patients with hypertension retrospectively for 10 years from September 2010 to 2020. Two hundred and fifty (61.6%) of patients were women with a mean age of 55.87±11.03 years. Less than 1 in five 75 (18.5%) of patients achieved their blood pressure control target. A total of US$64 837.48 direct cost was incurred due to hypertension. A total of 11 585 years and 579.57 years were lost due to hypertension-related premature mortality and morbidity, respectively. Treated and uncontrolled hypertension accounted for 50.83% (6027) of total years lost due to premature mortality from treated hypertension cohort. Total productivity loss due to premature mortality and morbidity was US$449 394.69. The overall economic burden of hypertension was US$514 232.16 (US$105.55 per person per month). CONCLUSION: Societal economic burden of hypertension in Southern Ethiopia was substantial. Indirect costs accounted for more than 8 out of 10 dollars. Treated and uncontrolled hypertension took the lion's share of economic cost and productivity loss due to premature mortality and morbidity. Therefore, designing and implanting strategies for the prevention of hypertension, early screening and detection, and improving the rate of blood pressure control by involving all relevant stakeholders at all levels is critical to saving scarce health resources.

Blood Pressure and Blood Glucose Control and Associated Factors Among Adults with Hypertension at Three Public Hospitals in Southern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: There is inadequate information on blood pressure (BP) and FBG (Blood pressure and Fasting blood glucose) control among adult hypertensive patients in Southern Ethiopia. AIM: To determine the level and factors associated with poor BP and FBG control among adult hypertensive patients on regular follow-up at three public hospitals RESULTS: We included 406 adult hypertensives with mean age of 55.87 ± 11.03 years. Mean systolic BP was 134.46 ± 13.44 mmHg; and mean diastolic BP was 82.10 ± 9.44 mmHg. More than eight out of 205 (86.2%) of patients did not achieve BP and FBG target level. Having body mass index 18-24.9 kg/m2, Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.317 (95% C.I. for AOR, 0.135-0.740, p = 0.008); having no comorbidity, AOR = 0.425 (95% C.I. for AOR, 0.232-0.779, p = 0.006); physically activity, AOR = 0.303 (95% C.I., 0.110-0.829, p = 0.020); having low perceived health risk, AOR = 0.095 (95% C.I., 0.014-0.632, p = 0.015); taking monotherapy, AOR = 3.34 (95% C.I. for AOR, 1.121-10.524, p = 0.033); and history of hospitalization, AOR = 7.048 (95% C.I. for AOR, 2.486-19.954, p = 0.000) were associated with poor BP and FBG control. CONCLUSIONS: The level of BP and FBG control was low. Improving screening of hypertensive patients for diabetes; addressing obesity and mental health; strengthening healthy life style interventions and enhancing appropriate dose intensification of prescribed anti-hypertensives by responsible bodies are critical to improve BP and FBG control.

Medical therapy versus percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft in stable coronary artery disease; a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the first cause of mortality in the world. Stable coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common IHD. Medical therapy (MT), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are three strategies for the management of this disease. The main aim of this study was the comparison of MT with PCI or CABG in terms of cardiovascular (CV) mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), unplanned revascularization (UR), stroke, and freedom from angina in managing stable CAD. METHODS: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus were searched. Two reviewers independently appraised the titles and abstracted data of the identified studies. After the Full-text reviewing phase, eligible studies were analyzed through the random-effect meta-analysis method. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted for the robustness of findings. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The pooled RR of CV mortality associated with MT compared with PCI and CABG was 1.22 and 1.385, respectively. Overall, The RR of MT associated with MI, UR, stroke, and freedom from angina compared with PCI was 1.001, 1.151, 0.799, and 0.801, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed no statistically significant difference between MT and PCI in terms of studied primary outcomes. The findings also highlighted that there is no statistically significant difference between MT and CABG in terms of CV mortality.

Reasons for poor blood pressure control in Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa: looking into 4P's (primary care, professional, patient, and public health policy) for improving blood pressure control: a scoping review.

AIM: Hypertension control in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the worst (less than one out of ten) when compared to the rest of the world. Therefore, this scoping review was conducted to identify and describe the possible reasons for poor blood pressure (BP) control based on 4Ps' (patient, professional, primary healthcare system, and public health policy) factors. METHODS: PRISMA extension for scoping review protocol was used. We systematically searched articles written in the English language from January 2000 to May 2020 from the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google scholar. RESULTS: Sixty-eight articles were included in this scoping review. The mean prevalence of hypertension, BP control, and patient adherence to prescribed medicines were 20.95%, 11.5%, and 60%, respectively. Only Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia out of ten countries started annual screening of the high-risk population for hypertension. Reasons for nonadherence to prescribed medicines were lack of awareness, lack of access to medicines and health services, professional inertia to intensify drugs, lack of knowledge on evidence-based guidelines, insufficient government commitment, and specific health behaviors related laws. Lack of screening for high-risk patients, non-treatment adherence, weak political commitment, poverty, maternal and child malnutrition were reasons for the worst BP control. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the rate of BP treatment, control, and medication adherence was low in Eastern SSA. Screening for high-risk populations was inadequate. Therefore, it is crucial to improve government commitment, patient awareness, and access to medicines, design country-specific annual screening programs, and empower clinicians to follow individualized treatment and conduct medication adherence research using more robust tools.