Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania
Background The provision of clinical pharmacy services (CPS) in low- and middle-income countries is still low. The reported challenges in providing CPS include healthcare structures, public policies, resources, workforce, culture and education inequalities. This study aimed to explore the strategies...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMJ Public Health |
| Online Access: | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001776.full |
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| author | Fredrick Kalokola Dorkasi L Mwakawanga Ritah F Mutagonda Hamu J Mlyuka Wigilya P Mikomangwa Manase Kilonzi Wema A Kibanga Alphonce Ignace Marealle Bertha Mallya Deogratias Katabalo Sofia Sanga John Rwegasha Rose Magambo John Mmassy Sungwa Kabissi Josephine A Balati Peter Maduki Omary Mashiku Minzi Appolinary A R Kamuhabwa |
| author_facet | Fredrick Kalokola Dorkasi L Mwakawanga Ritah F Mutagonda Hamu J Mlyuka Wigilya P Mikomangwa Manase Kilonzi Wema A Kibanga Alphonce Ignace Marealle Bertha Mallya Deogratias Katabalo Sofia Sanga John Rwegasha Rose Magambo John Mmassy Sungwa Kabissi Josephine A Balati Peter Maduki Omary Mashiku Minzi Appolinary A R Kamuhabwa |
| author_sort | Fredrick Kalokola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The provision of clinical pharmacy services (CPS) in low- and middle-income countries is still low. The reported challenges in providing CPS include healthcare structures, public policies, resources, workforce, culture and education inequalities. This study aimed to explore the strategies to improve the provision of CPS in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania.Methods This study was conducted between August and September 2021. We adopted an exploratory qualitative study to conduct 14 in-depth interviews with hospital administrators and 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) with healthcare providers. A purposeful sampling technique was used to recruit 97 participants, including 45 pharmacists, 31 medical doctors and 21 nurses across five tertiary healthcare institutions. Of those, 14 hospital administrators participated in 14 IDIs and 83 healthcare workers divided into 10 FGDs. Analysis was done using a qualitative thematic approach.Results The study identified several strategies that fall under four major themes: (i) strengthen preservice training by reviewing the Bachelor of Pharmacy training curriculum to include clinical pharmacy components; (ii) improve continuing professional training through regular provision of on-job training to pharmacists; (iii) revise the scope of work for pharmacists to include CPS provision in the job description; and (iv) improve operational environment by ensuring availability of guidelines, policies, and adequate number of pharmacists and good inter-professional communication skills.Conclusions This study’s findings highlight that improving CPS provision requires strengthening pharmacists’ training, scope of work and operational environment. The latter calls for multifaceted engagement from pharmacists, training institutions, policymakers, regulatory bodies and health systems for sustainable progress. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-74e0971ac3314bd1b91a5dd19f7b62b3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2753-4294 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-74e0971ac3314bd1b91a5dd19f7b62b32025-01-21T09:45:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Public Health2753-42942025-01-013110.1136/bmjph-2024-001776Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in TanzaniaFredrick Kalokola0Dorkasi L Mwakawanga1Ritah F Mutagonda2Hamu J Mlyuka3Wigilya P Mikomangwa4Manase Kilonzi5Wema A Kibanga6Alphonce Ignace Marealle7Bertha Mallya8Deogratias Katabalo9Sofia Sanga10John Rwegasha11Rose Magambo12John Mmassy13Sungwa Kabissi14Josephine A Balati15Peter Maduki16Omary Mashiku Minzi17Appolinary A R Kamuhabwa18Catholic University of Health And Allied Sciences Weill Bugando School of Medicine, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic ofDepartment of Community Health Nursing, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofCatholic University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Nursing, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofDepartment of Internal Medicine, Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofChristian Social Services Commission (CSSC), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofChristian Social Services Commission (CSSC), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofChristian Social Services Commission (CSSC), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofChristian Social Services Commission (CSSC), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Pharmacy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic ofBackground The provision of clinical pharmacy services (CPS) in low- and middle-income countries is still low. The reported challenges in providing CPS include healthcare structures, public policies, resources, workforce, culture and education inequalities. This study aimed to explore the strategies to improve the provision of CPS in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania.Methods This study was conducted between August and September 2021. We adopted an exploratory qualitative study to conduct 14 in-depth interviews with hospital administrators and 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) with healthcare providers. A purposeful sampling technique was used to recruit 97 participants, including 45 pharmacists, 31 medical doctors and 21 nurses across five tertiary healthcare institutions. Of those, 14 hospital administrators participated in 14 IDIs and 83 healthcare workers divided into 10 FGDs. Analysis was done using a qualitative thematic approach.Results The study identified several strategies that fall under four major themes: (i) strengthen preservice training by reviewing the Bachelor of Pharmacy training curriculum to include clinical pharmacy components; (ii) improve continuing professional training through regular provision of on-job training to pharmacists; (iii) revise the scope of work for pharmacists to include CPS provision in the job description; and (iv) improve operational environment by ensuring availability of guidelines, policies, and adequate number of pharmacists and good inter-professional communication skills.Conclusions This study’s findings highlight that improving CPS provision requires strengthening pharmacists’ training, scope of work and operational environment. The latter calls for multifaceted engagement from pharmacists, training institutions, policymakers, regulatory bodies and health systems for sustainable progress.https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001776.full |
| spellingShingle | Fredrick Kalokola Dorkasi L Mwakawanga Ritah F Mutagonda Hamu J Mlyuka Wigilya P Mikomangwa Manase Kilonzi Wema A Kibanga Alphonce Ignace Marealle Bertha Mallya Deogratias Katabalo Sofia Sanga John Rwegasha Rose Magambo John Mmassy Sungwa Kabissi Josephine A Balati Peter Maduki Omary Mashiku Minzi Appolinary A R Kamuhabwa Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania BMJ Public Health |
| title | Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania |
| title_full | Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania |
| title_short | Improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low- and middle-income countries: a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in Tanzania |
| title_sort | improving the provision of clinical pharmacy services in low and middle income countries a qualitative study in tertiary health facilities in tanzania |
| url | https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/3/1/e001776.full |
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