Antibiotics over-prescribed in Jordan

Citation

(2011), "Antibiotics over-prescribed in Jordan", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 24 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2011.06224aab.008

Antibiotics over-prescribed in Jordan

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 24, Issue 1

Keywords: Health care, Drug administration

Around 60 per cent of Jordanian patients who go to hospitals receive antibiotics, a study to be released has found.

The preliminary results of the study, conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in cooperation with the local health sector, said that this rate is high, indicating that physicians in both the public and private health sectors are over prescribing antibiotics.

The study also showed that approximately 22 per cent of medicine dispensed in pharmacies is sold without prescription, while 30 per cent of patients said they have to sell some of their possessions to afford medicine.

More detailed results of the “Availability of medicine in Jordan” study will be officially announced in October, according to WHO representatives, who declined to elaborate further on the report’s findings.

The experts announced the findings Tuesday at the launch of the “Framework for good governance in the pharmaceutical sector”, a programme developed by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the WHO, the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, the Royal Medical Services and the University of Jordan.

The framework presents a set of rules, practices and structures that Jordanian pharmaceutical sector stakeholders have committed to maintain and pursue in their efforts to improve access to medicines.

He added during the launch that the framework was developed based on the findings of an assessment of transparency and vulnerability to corruption that Jordanian national assessors published in early 2009.

The assessment, available online at www.emro.who.int/dsaf/dsa968.pdf, showed that “medicine registration and selection in Jordan is marginally vulnerable to corruption, medicine inspection is moderately vulnerable, medicine procurement and distribution is minimally vulnerable, and medicine promotion is extremely vulnerable.

Both the assessment and the framework are components of the “Good governance for medicines programme”, which Jordan joined in 2007, making it the first country in the region and the third in the world to join this programme, according to Elzein.

The programme, affiliated with WHO, raises awareness of potential abuse in the pharmaceutical sector and promotes good governance practices with the aim of ensuring better access to essential medicines and less loss through corrupt or unethical practices.

It offers a three-step technical support package which includes a national transparency assessment, the development of a national framework on good governance for medicines and implementation of a national programme.

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