Barriers to Implementation of Pharmaceutical Care by Pharmacists in Nsukka and Enugu metropolis of Enugu State

OBJECTIVE To identify the possible barriers to the implementation of Pharmaceutical care among Community and Hospital pharmacists in Enugu State using Nsukka and Enugu metropolis as a case study. METHOD A semi structured questionnaire was designed to carry out a cross sectional descriptive study. The questionnaires were distributed to community and hospital pharmacists from designated areas during one of their quarterly meeting and their practice sites in 2009. RESULTS Eighty completed questionnaires were collected with 22.8% from community pharmacists, and 77.2% from hospital pharmacists. The important barriers identified were lack of space, enough personnel in pharmacy to handle routine technical tasks, time, need for too much effort, and need for payment for services. CONCLUSION The opinions on barriers to Pharmaceutical care of Pharmacists from community and hospital practice areas in these two metropolises of Enugu State are majorly 'lack of time, space and routine technical task personnel.