[Availability of antimalarial agents in Dutch hospitals].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the availability of antimalarial agents for the treatment of falciparum malaria in all Dutch hospital pharmacies, including changes in the situation over a period of two years.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
In the period October 2006 to March 2007 all Dutch hospital pharmacies were questioned about the availability of antimalarial agents, by means of a telephone survey. The survey was repeated at the end of 2008.


RESULTS
The percentage of hospitals that had quinine in stock increased from 72 (62 of the 86 hospitals responding) to 80 (73 of 91 hospitals). In 2008 artesunate was in stock in 7 hospitals. At the end of 2008 18 Dutch hospitals had no medication available for the treatment of severe malaria tropica; 6 hospitals had no agents for the treatment of malaria at all.


CONCLUSIONS
The ideal situation, in which every hospital in the Netherlands has a supply of adequate agents for the treatment of severe malaria, has not yet been achieved.
Oudijk
J Mirjam
JM
Havenziekenhuis en Instituut voor Tropische Ziekten, afd. Interne Geneeskunde, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Waalewijn
Bart P
BP
Ting
Larissa
L
van Genderen
Perry J J
PJ
Overbosch
David
D
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077332:Artesunate; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy; D009426:Netherlands; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D011803:Quinine / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D011803:Quinine