Management of sexually transmitted infections: a qualitative assessment of community pharmacy practices in the Ho Municipality, Ghana

Araba Ata Hutton-Nyameaye*, Farrukh Ishaque Saah, Israel Bedzina, Samuel Owusu Somuah, Kofi Boamah Mensah, Kwabena Obeng Duedu, Kwame Ohene Buabeng

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number140
    JournalJournal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice
    Volume16
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished (VoR) - 10 Nov 2023

    Funding

    In Ghana, people with STIs can get treatment or advice from a variety of sources, such as public or private health institutions, traditional or herbal doctors, faith healers, and self-medication []. Due to a lack of resources, poor healthcare system, and inadequate medical personnel, Ghana's primary healthcare system is not fully able to provide reproductive health services [, ]. This gap in the healthcare system has advantageously positioned public or community pharmacies to offer reproductive healthcare services [, ]. The Ministry of Health (MOH), Ghana, with support and funding from the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and the West Africa Project to Combat AIDS and STD (WAPTCA), have trained community pharmacists in the syndromic management of STIs []. The syndrome-case management of STI relies on identifying the syndromes, followed by standardized treatment to deal with the causing organisms, and is straightforward, affordable, and does not require a laboratory test []. Studies conducted in Ghana and other nations have demonstrated that community pharmacists provide a wide range of health services in addition to their traditional role of dispensing medication [, ]. This paper is drafted from a PhD thesis submitted to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, by AAHN.

    FundersFunder number
    National AIDS Control Programme
    WAPTCA
    Ministry of Health
    American Association for the History of Nursing

      Keywords

      • Community pharmacy
      • Ghana
      • Pharmacy staff
      • Sexually transmitted infections management

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