Browsing by Author "Marta, Jozef Majoros"

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    Treatment of uncomplicated malaria in adults at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, Dormaa Ahenkro
    (2011) Marta, Jozef Majoros
    In 2005, due to the development of resistance to Chloroquine, Ghana implemented the Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy Policy (Artesunate plus Amodiaquine) with reports of associated adverse drug reactions. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study to assess the management of uncomplicated malaria in adults at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital in the year 2008. Two types of quantitative data collection methods were employed. 1537 cases were selected by stratified sampling method from patient folders and six (6) clinicians were selected by purposive sampling to complete a questionnaire. The results showed that 12 different anti-malarial regimens were prescribed for the general population (1447 cases), compared to 9 recorded for pregnant patients (90 cases). In adherence to the policy, the Artesunate-Amodiaquine combination was the drug most frequently prescribed (66%), however contrary to the policy 35% of prescribed anti-malaria drugs for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester was an artemisinin derivative as mono therapy. The prescriptions had no correct dosages in 552 (36%) cases. Only in 65 (4.5%) cases for the general population, in 2 (6%) cases for pregnant women in the 2nd and in 5 (9%) cases in the 3rd trimester was the diagnosis based on laboratory evidence. Majority of prescribers will not prescribe Artesunate-Amodiaquine against the patient’s wishes but rather will prescribe Artemether/Lumefantrine, because the clinicians perceive Artemether/Lumefantrine to have less severe side-effects, easy to administer and effective.