Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study
Objectives To assess experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at community pharmacies in Kenya.Design, setting and participants This was a mixed-methods study conducted from November 2020 to April 2021, targeting service providers in three counties (Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu), selected...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2022-06-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e058688.full |
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| author | Edwine Barasa Sassy Molyneux Jacinta Nzinga Audrey Mumbi Peter Mwangi Mugo Daniella Munene Collins Jaguga Davy Odhiambo Elizabeth Ominde-Ogaja Mercy Maina Michael Mungoma Nadia Butt Sultani Matendechero Titus Kahiga Eric Sedah Sylvia Opanga |
| author_facet | Edwine Barasa Sassy Molyneux Jacinta Nzinga Audrey Mumbi Peter Mwangi Mugo Daniella Munene Collins Jaguga Davy Odhiambo Elizabeth Ominde-Ogaja Mercy Maina Michael Mungoma Nadia Butt Sultani Matendechero Titus Kahiga Eric Sedah Sylvia Opanga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives To assess experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at community pharmacies in Kenya.Design, setting and participants This was a mixed-methods study conducted from November 2020 to April 2021, targeting service providers in three counties (Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu), selected purposively to represent the main urban centres; pharmacies were selected randomly from a list of licensed pharmacies.Results Of 195 sampled pharmacies, 108 (55%) completed a questionnaire and 103 (53%) received a simulated client call; 18 service providers were interviewed. The initial weeks of the pandemic were characterised by fear and panic among service providers and a surge in client flow. Subsequently, 65 (60%) of 108 pharmacies experienced a dip in demand to below prepandemic levels and 34 (31%) reported challenges with unavailability, high price and poor quality of products. Almost all pharmacies were actively providing preventive materials and therapies; educating clients on prevention measures; counselling anxious clients; and handling and referring suspect cases. Fifty-nine pharmacies (55% (95% CI 45% to 65%)) reported receiving a client asking for COVID-19 testing and a similar proportion stated they would support pharmacy-based testing if implemented. For treatment of simulated clients, most pharmacies (71%, 73 of 103) recommended alternative therapies and nutritional supplements such as vitamin C; the rest recommended conventional therapies such as antibiotics. While 52 (48%) of 108 pharmacies had at least one staff member trained on COVID-19, a general feeling of disconnection from the national programme prevailed.Conclusions Private pharmacies in Kenya were actively contributing to the COVID-19 response, but more deliberate engagement, support and linkages are required. Notably, there is an urgent need to develop guidelines for pharmacy-based COVID-19 testing, a service that is clearly needed and which could greatly increase test coverage. Pharmacy-based COVID-19 programmes should be accompanied with implementation research to inform current and future pandemic responses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7082cb5864744054a64c84511d9b8e0f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-7082cb5864744054a64c84511d9b8e0f2025-02-01T10:20:13ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-06-0112610.1136/bmjopen-2021-058688Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study 0Edwine Barasa1Sassy Molyneux2Jacinta Nzinga3Audrey Mumbi4Peter Mwangi Mugo5Daniella Munene6Collins JagugaDavy OdhiamboElizabeth Ominde-OgajaMercy MainaMichael MungomaNadia ButtSultani MatendecheroTitus KahigaEric SedahSylvia Opanga11 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Nairobi, Nairobi, KenyaCentre for Tropical Medicine, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, Oxford University, Oxford, UKKEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, KenyaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme Nairobi, Nairobi, KenyaHealth Economics Research Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, KenyaHealth Economics Research Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, KenyaCEO Office, Pharmaceutical Society, Kilifi, KenyaObjectives To assess experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at community pharmacies in Kenya.Design, setting and participants This was a mixed-methods study conducted from November 2020 to April 2021, targeting service providers in three counties (Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu), selected purposively to represent the main urban centres; pharmacies were selected randomly from a list of licensed pharmacies.Results Of 195 sampled pharmacies, 108 (55%) completed a questionnaire and 103 (53%) received a simulated client call; 18 service providers were interviewed. The initial weeks of the pandemic were characterised by fear and panic among service providers and a surge in client flow. Subsequently, 65 (60%) of 108 pharmacies experienced a dip in demand to below prepandemic levels and 34 (31%) reported challenges with unavailability, high price and poor quality of products. Almost all pharmacies were actively providing preventive materials and therapies; educating clients on prevention measures; counselling anxious clients; and handling and referring suspect cases. Fifty-nine pharmacies (55% (95% CI 45% to 65%)) reported receiving a client asking for COVID-19 testing and a similar proportion stated they would support pharmacy-based testing if implemented. For treatment of simulated clients, most pharmacies (71%, 73 of 103) recommended alternative therapies and nutritional supplements such as vitamin C; the rest recommended conventional therapies such as antibiotics. While 52 (48%) of 108 pharmacies had at least one staff member trained on COVID-19, a general feeling of disconnection from the national programme prevailed.Conclusions Private pharmacies in Kenya were actively contributing to the COVID-19 response, but more deliberate engagement, support and linkages are required. Notably, there is an urgent need to develop guidelines for pharmacy-based COVID-19 testing, a service that is clearly needed and which could greatly increase test coverage. Pharmacy-based COVID-19 programmes should be accompanied with implementation research to inform current and future pandemic responses.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e058688.full |
| spellingShingle | Edwine Barasa Sassy Molyneux Jacinta Nzinga Audrey Mumbi Peter Mwangi Mugo Daniella Munene Collins Jaguga Davy Odhiambo Elizabeth Ominde-Ogaja Mercy Maina Michael Mungoma Nadia Butt Sultani Matendechero Titus Kahiga Eric Sedah Sylvia Opanga Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study BMJ Open |
| title | Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study |
| title_full | Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study |
| title_short | Experiences of and response to the COVID-19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in Kenya: a mixed-methods study |
| title_sort | experiences of and response to the covid 19 pandemic at private retail pharmacies in kenya a mixed methods study |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/6/e058688.full |
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