Table 3.
Practices of the retail pharmacy staff related to identification and referral of the presumptive tuberculosis (TB) patients and sale of anti-TB drugs in the DI Khan city, Pakistan
| Number (%) | |
|---|---|
| Total participants | 82 (100) |
| Suspected TB patients per week | |
| 0 | 28 (34) |
| 1–2 | 47 (57) |
| 3–5 | 7 (9) |
| Referral of suspected TB patients | |
| Nearby laboratory | 22 (27) |
| Nearby GP | 19 (23) |
| Chest physician | 65 (79) |
| TB DOTS centre | 0 (0) |
| No referral | |
| Dispense broad spectrum antibiotics | 11 (13) |
| Dispense cough syrup | 28 (34) |
| Dispense anti-TB drugs | 1 (1) |
| TB patients with a doctor’s prescription | 82 (100) |
| Prescriped duration of anti-TB drugs | |
| 6 months | 62 (76) |
| 9 months | 16 (19) |
| Do not know | 4 (5) |
| Number of prescribed anti-TB drugs | |
| 2 medicines | 25 (30) |
| 3 medicines | 39 (48) |
| 4 medicines | 18 (22) |
| Vitamin B6 supplement in prescription | 73 (89) |
| Frequently sold TB medicines | |
| 4-FDC-RHZE combination | 82 (100) |
| 3-FDC-RHE combination | 7 (8) |
| 2-FDC-RH combination | 79 (96) |
| Isoniazid | 1 (1) |
| Pyrazinamide | 0 (0) |
| Ethambutol | 0 (0) |
| Streptomycin | 28 (34) |
| Kanamycin | 4 (5) |
| Patients buy anti-TB medicines | |
| 1 month | 7 (8) |
| 2 months | 11 (13) |
| 3 months | 22 (27) |
| 4 months | 3 (4) |
| 6 months | 35 (43) |
| 9 months | 4 (5) |