Diagnoses and prescriptions for patients managed during a free health care day in Eldoret, Kenya.
Diagnoses and prescriptions for 2,218 patients seen during a "Free Health Care Day" in a semi-urban African town were reviewed. There was a marked tendency to over-prescription, coupled with a failure to use available laboratory tests to diagnose conditions such as malaria and intestinal parasites. Only 37 of 413 patients with malaria had a diagnostic blood smear (17 positive, 20 negative) done. Nevertheless, many patients without any clear diagnosis received multiple drugs. The mean number of drugs prescribed was two; and three or more drugs were prescribed for 677 (33%) patients. The adverse pharmacological and financial aspects of excessive drug prescription are stressed in this communication.
Nabiswa
A K
AK
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
Godfrey
R C
RC
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003933:Diagnosis; D016527:Drug Costs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006277:Health Fairs; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D009017:Morbidity; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D014505:Urban Population