Availability of drugs for household use in drug stores in Vientiane Capital, Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A pilot survey
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Abstract
Promoting rational self-medication is one of the main policy of Ministry of Health of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). In Lao PDR, drugs used for self-care are called drugs for household use. There were 54 items. This group of drugs is called household remedies in Thailand. The objective of this survey study was to identify drugs for household use that were stocked for sell in private drug stores in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Methods: Thirteen drug stores were recruited from three areas, taking difference in socio-economic status into consideration. Convenient sampling technique was employed. A research tool was a checklist of drugs for household use. A researcher read the name of the drugs for household use, the store keepers told a researcher which drugs on the list were available in their stores. Results: Five drug stores were located along Lao PDR boarder near Nongkai province. Another 5 drug stores were located within the central business area of Vientiane. The remaining 3 drug stores were located along the border of Vientiane province next to Bolikhamsai province. On average, there were 33.6+5.6 items of drugs for household use being stocked. A drug store which stocked the most items of drugs for household use had 42 items. A drug store which stocked the fewest items of drugs for household use had 22 items. Only 4 items were available in all 13 drugs stores. These were Alumina and Magnesia suspension, Oral Rehydration powder, paracetamol tablet (500mg), analgesic plasters. Drugs that were not available in most drug stores were mandl’s paint, toothache drops and ferrous sulfate. Conclusion: None of the surveyed drug store stocked all 54 items of drugs for household use. Further study should be conducted to identify reasons why drug stored did not stocked some of drugs for household use as the findings will inform strategies to persuade drug stores to stock all household remedies or as many as they can in order to increase public opportunity to gain access to safe self-medication drugs.
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