Open AccessEvaluation of availability, accessibility and prescribing pattern of medicines in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Author(s) -
Abdol Majid Cheraghali,
S. Nikfar,
Yasna Behmanesh,
Vahab Asl Rahimi,
Fatemeh Habibipour,
R Tirdad,
Arezoo Asadi,
Abolfazl Bahrami
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2004.10.3.406
Subject(s) - medical prescription , pharmacy , islamic republic , medicine , essential drugs , salary , government (linguistics) , family medicine , formulary , health care , essential medicines , pharmacopoeia , primary health care , traditional medicine , alternative medicine , environmental health , business , islam , health services , public health , pharmacology , nursing , geography , economic growth , population , philosophy , law , linguistics , archaeology , pathology , political science , economics
Prescribing, dispensing, availability and affordability of drugs were evaluated in 100 primary health care centres in 5 provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran using WHO indicators. On average, 92% of the 12 essential drugs monitored were available in the health centre pharmacies and 95% of the drugs prescribed by the physician were dispensed by the health centre pharmacy. The stock-out duration was less than 1 month on average. A complete treatment for pneumonia cost only 2% of the lowest weekly government salary. The national average number of drugs per prescription was 3.4. Prescription of antibiotics and injectable drugs was very high [58% and 41% respectively]. Although availability and affordability of essential drugs is good in this country, rational use of drugs needs to be emphasized