COMMON ANTI-MALARIAL DRUG PRESCRIPTIONAND PATIENT AFFORDABILITY IN SOKOTO NIGERIA

摘要

Objective: This study aimed at accessing the pattern of antimalarial prescriptionagainst current WHO recommendationand patient affordability of the prescribed antimalarial drug. Methods: This study recruited outpatients that were prescribed antimalarial drug for uncomplicated malaria in the normal course of medical practice in health centers within Sokoto Metropolis, and a total of two hundred structured questionnaires were issued on patient's socioeconomic and demographic background, as well as methods of malaria diagnosis and treatment pattern. Data was analyzed using SPSS statistic version 20 (SPSS Inc. Chigao, USA). Results: Artemisinin-based combination therapy is the major (75.0%) antimalarial prescribed, followed by mono therapy (19.5%) and 81.5% of the patients belong to middle socioeconomic class, and 12.5% lower class. However, 25.5% could not afford the antimalarial drugs, out of which 88.2% were ACTs. Conversely, unaffordability is higher (82.4%) among middle class followed by lower socioeconomic class (15.7%), of which females constituting 30.0% of the lower class. Most of the diagnoses were presumptive (56.5%), while laboratory or parasitological diagnosis was made in 43.5% of the patients. Conclusion: This study concludes that over a quarter of respondent could not afford antimalarial medications, with more than one half of the malaria diagnosis been presumptive. Therefore, there is the need to emphasize adherence to current WHO recommendation of confirmation of all cases of malaria by a laboratory test before treatment so as to reduce misuse of antimalarial drugs, as well as resistance, and also reduced socioeconomic pressure on the patient and family