title: How much do Blantyre dispensers in hospital and community pharmacies know about the new malaria treatment guidelines?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the knowledge of dispensers in hospital and community pharmacies within Blantyre on new malaria treatment guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  An interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection and the questions focused on the knowledge of dispensers on the new malaria treatment guidelines and whether the subjects were involved in the preparation or implementation of the guidelines or had undertaken any training on how to dispense the new anti-malarial medicines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the participants had been involved in the preparation of the treatment guidelines and only 45.5% of the participants had undertaken the pre-implementation training. Ninety percent of the interviewees had knowledge concerning the appropriate treatment of malaria in pregnancy. However, as many as 90.9% of the interviewed participants could not mention any possible five or more side-effects of LA and only 13.6% knew how to properly manage the possible effects. Only 27.3% knew the correct dose regimen of LA and none of them knew the condition of taking LA with a fatty meal for improved absorption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lack of involvement of the pharmaceutical personnel working in hospital and community pharmacies, from the preparation of new malaria treatment guidelines to their implementation, inadequate training and qualifications of the dispensing personnel contributed to their lack of knowledge and skill on how to rationally dispense the medicines. Pharmaceutical personnel dispensing in the pharmacies need to be involved from the beginning in the preparation of treatment guidelines. Adequate training should be provided and followed by continuous professional education.
authors: Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors: Collins
authors: C
authors: Minyaliwa
authors: Chiwoza
authors: C
authors: Bandawe
authors: Richman James
authors: RJ
authors: Mwale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000592:standards*; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010595:Pharmacists; D010596:Pharmacy Technicians; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials
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