S. Mayhew et al., Pharmacists' role in managing sexually transmitted infections: policy issues and options for Ghana, HEAL POL PL, 16(2), 2001, pp. 152-160
The debate about extending the role of pharmacists in health care is growin
g in recognition of the ongoing difficulties experienced by many public sec
tor services. The perceived accessibility and confidentiality of pharmacist
s makes them particularly attractive to patients for the management of heal
th problems such as sexually transmitted infections (STI) that may lead to
stigmatization.
Despite growing interest in the subject, there are few documented analyses
of the role of pharmacists in low-income countries. In Ghana, pharmacists a
re acknowledged by the government to be the preferred option for people see
king treatment for STI. A study was conducted to investigate the current ro
le played by pharmacists in Greater Accra Region in the management of STI.
On the basis of these findings, training schemes were developed, implemente
d and evaluated. This paper presents the findings of this operation-researc
h and considers their implications for deciding to what extent and in what
way pharmacists should be involved in managing STI in Ghana and other simil
ar country settings.
These findings suggest that pharmacists have a crucial role in effective ma
nagement of STI, particularly in the management of urethral discharge. They
may need to limit their management of genital ulcer to referring customers
to laboratories and medical practitioners. They also represent a currently
under-utilized opportunity for preventive activities. Regulation and quali
ty assurance issues need to be addressed by both pharmacy and medical profe
ssions.