Antibiotic dispensing practices during COVID-19 and implications for antimicrobial resistance (AMR): parallel mystery client studies in Uganda and Tanzania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Over-the-counter antibiotic access is common in low-and-middle-income countries and this may accelerate antimicrobial resistance. Our study explores critical aspects of the drug seller-client interaction and antibiotic dispensing patterns for simulated COVID-19 symptoms during the pandemic in two study sites in Tanzania and Uganda, countries with different government responses to the pandemic.

Methods

Research assistants posing as clients approached different types of drug sellers such as pharmacies (Pharms), drug shops (DSs), and accredited drug dispensing outlets (ADDOs) in Mwanza, Tanzania (nPharms =  415, nADDOs = 116) and Mbarara, Uganda (nPharms = 440, nDSs  = 67), from June 10 to July 30, 2021. The mystery clients held no prescription and sought advice for

SUBMITTER: Olamijuwon E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9919751 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature