Administrative practices of health professionals and use of artesunate-amodiaquine by community members for treating uncomplicated malaria in southern Ghana: Implications for artemisinin-based combination therapy deployment

Bethel Kwansa-Bentum, Irene Ayi, Takashi Suzuki, Joseph Otchere, Takashi Kumagai, William K. Anyan, Hiroko Asahi, Nobuaki Akao, Michael D. Wilson, Daniel A. Boakye, Nobuo Ohta

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective To investigate the use of artemisinin-based combination and monotherapy by community members and the administrative practices of health professionals in treating malaria in Ghana. Method This study is a community-based cross-sectional survey in 11 rural and urban areas in southern Ghana. Using the interviewer method, close-ended questionnaires were administered to community members. Similar questionnaires were also administered in health facilities, community pharmacies and licensed chemical shops. Results A total of 1085 individuals comprising 959 non-health professionals and 126 health professionals were interviewed. Fifty-seven per cent of the community members visit pharmacies/drug stores as the first point of call when they suspect malaria. According to the participating drug sellers, artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is the most prescribed/sold anti-malarial drug (59.2%), followed by dihydroartemisinin (35%), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (33.0%) and artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) (27.2%). The majority of customers who visit pharmacies or drug stores without prescription have their anti-malarial drug selected by the shop attendant; in situations like that, dihydroartemisinin and artesunate monotherapies are sold just as AS-AQ and AL. Chloroquine is still sold by some drug vendors, 5years after its proscription. Conclusion Whereas the use of AS-AQ and AL are acceptable, the frequent use of dihydroartemisinin and artesunate monotherapy threatens the future of ACTs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1215-1224
Number of pages10
JournalTropical Medicine and International Health
Volume16
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Artesunate-amodiaquine
  • Community members
  • Compliance
  • Ghana
  • Health professionals
  • Malaria

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