Assessment of knowledge on prescribing and dispensing practices of antimalarial drugs for paeditrics in dar es salaam

Background: Malaria is still a public health problem in Africa the vast majority of cases of malaria occurs in children under years old and pregnant women are also vulnerable. World malaria report states that 88l (9l %) malaria deaths (WHO) 2006 occurred in Africa, among which 85% were children under Eve years of age. Healthcare workers and the parent of gaunter plays major role to reduce the mortality of the children Objectives: To assess the knowledge of pharmaceutical personnel and prescribers on dispensing and practice respectively, to assess the knowledge of the mothers on the malaria and its effects and to assess the knowledge of the prescribers that was consulting in the pediatric the outpatient ward. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional-descriptive study involving visits to 200 private pharmacies (as simulate client) Temeke and Kinondoni districts. In addition, a total of 200 mothers of fathers of the affected paediatric were interiewed hospital at Amana hospital. Temeke Hospital and Mwananyamala hospital and dispensaries (Aviation and Kam) and health care centre. Results: one hundred and thirty the or (67%) mothers fathers had moderate level of understanding the instructions given to thro; by the prescribers, while the remaining 66(33%) had low level of understanding. Total of 35(69%) mother/father had moderate knowledge regarding malaria, where as 2(l %) showed high level of knowledge and the remaining 35% showed low level of knowledge. 55(36.7%l dispensers had low knowledge regarding antimalarial and the remaining had moderate level to knowledge. On the knowledge of the prescribers S out of 9 had moderate knowledge on prescribing practices. Dispensing of antimalarial to children less than five kilograms were considered unlike those children who were above five kilogram Conclusion; From the results, it shows that there is lack of good prescribing and dispensing, practices of malaria and it- management. Since malaria is one of the major killer disease in Tanzania, poor practices of healthcare workers can increase the mortality rate of children under the age of five years. Mother / father, who have come for her/his child, should implement its instructions, given by the healthcare workers, to their childre