Pharmacovigilance of Antimalaria Drug Treatment in Enugu State, Nigeria: Community and Health Workers’ Perceptions and Suggestions for Reporting Adverse Drug Events Third International Conference for Improving Use of Medicines Antalya, Turkey. November 14-18, 2011 Ajuba, Miriam Obinwanne Uzochukwu, Benjamin Chudi Onwujekwe, Obinna Emmanuel 15th November, 2011

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND Pharmacovigilance of antimalarial drugs is important to both the individual and the community and it refers to detecting, assessing, understanding, and preventing the adverse reactions of antimalarial drugs. Malaria is endemic in Nigeria. National Health Bill says, it is the duty of the Federal Ministry of Health to issue guidelines and ensure the continuous monitoring, analysis and good use of drugs and poisons including medicines and medical devices.

OBJECTIVES/STUDY QUESTIONS To determine the communities’ level of awareness of adverse drug reactions in malaria treatment and the reporting systems available, their attitudes, and their problems in reporting adverse events To provide suggestions towards alleviating these problems

METHODS Study Area: Enugu State Nigeria made up of Study design: Community based study that employed the cross-sectional descriptive approach and the multistage sampling technique was used. The sampling frame was Enugu South LGA selected by simple random selection. Study population: 422 mothers and 60 health workers in Enugu South local government area of Enugu State, Nigeria Outcome measure(s): Community and health workers’ perceptions of pharmacovigilance for antimalarial treatment in Enugu and suggestions for reporting adverse drug events.

RESULTS

Figure 1: Community awareness of ADR following injection of antimalaria

Table 2: Socio-demographic characteristics of health worker

Figure 2: Action taken by respondents for ADR

Figure 3: Problems that affect reporting ADR

Figure 4: Suggestions to solving the problems

IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS Most people do not report adverse reaction due to ignorance. To increase the reporting of ADRs. Need to bridge the gap between reporting ADRs and its awareness.

RECOMMENDATIONS Involvement of the media in creating awareness on pharmacovigilance. Training workshops for health workers and the general public. Regulation and monitoring of health facilities by the pharmacovigilance centres. Routine sampling of drugs on sale for quality.