Poor knowledge on new malaria treatment guidelines among drug dispensers in private pharmacies in Tanzania: the need for involving the private sector in policy preparations and implementation.

OBJECTIVE To assess the knowledge of dispensers in private pharmacies on new malaria treatment guidelines which involved switching from chloroquine (CQ) to sulfadoxine pyrimethamine (SP) and from SP to artemether-lumefantrine. METHODS A structured questionnaire was used for data collection and the questions focused on whether the subjects were involved in the preparation or implementation of the guidelines or had undertaken any training on how to dispense new antimalarial medicines as recommended in the introduced new treatment guidelines. RESULTS The study revealed that none of the participants had been involved in the preparation of the treatment guidelines, nor had they undertaken any training on their implementation. As many as 49% of the visited private pharmacies were found to continue stocking and selling CQ tablets and injections. Only 30% and 7% knew the correct dose regimen of SP and ALU respectively and none of them knew the condition of taking ALU with a fatty meal for improved absorption. CONCLUSION Lack of involvement of the pharmaceutical personnel working in the private pharmacies, from the preparation of new malaria treatment guidelines to their implementation, contributed to their poor knowledge and skill on how to correctly dispense the medicines.