Publication:

Assessment of veterinary drugs dispensing practices in veterinary clinics in Gondar town, North West Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Background Dispensing practice plays a major role in the provision of rational drug therapy. This study aimed to assess the veterinary drug dispensing practice by pharmacists and other veterinarian assistance in veterinary clinic Gondar town.

Methods A cross-sectional prospective descriptive study was carried out in the OPD of three public veterinary clinics in Gondar town for three months. The health facility indicators were examined by ensuring the good dispensing practices in three veterinary clinic and availability of essential drug list.

Results The average consultation time was 13 min and 50 sec. The average dispensing time was 5 min and 3 sec calculated from 100 prescriptions. The percentage of drugs dispensed was 97.50% and percentage of drugs adequately labeled was high from the dispensed drugs (74.4%). The average patients with drug dosage knowledge were very low (25%). The result of the study revealed that the two veterinary clinic health facilities do not have any essential drug list. Out of three, one of them has a key drug from the WHO list 1 (30%) drug was available.

Conclusions The overall good dispensing practices at three veterinary clinics is low. Training, supportive supervision through continuous medical education, regular up-to-date medicine information and standard treatment guideline, and therapeutic audit are required for improvement of medicine use by prescriber and dispensers.