Pharmacovigilance systems for safety monitoring of herbal medicines: assessment of the national regulatory authority, manufacturers and marketing authorisation holders in Tanzania.

Background: The increase in the consumption of herbal medicines and their documented adverse reactions (ARs) necessitate countries to have good pharmacovigilance (PV) systems at all levels. PV systems should be frequently assessed in a systematic manner with available harmonised tools to monitor the implementation of efforts, strengthen the systems and identify areas for improvement.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the performance of pharmacovigilance and its quality systems for monitoring herbal medicine safety at the National PV Centre at the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA), manufacturers and herbal medicine marketing authorisation holders (MAHs) to identify gaps, challenges and opportunities for improvement.

Comparison of knowledge, attitude, practice and predictors of self-medication with antibiotics among medical and non-medical students in Tanzania.

Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is a widespread problem in developing nations, including Tanzania. This study compared knowledge, attitudes, practices, and factors influencing antibiotic SMA among medical and non-medical students. The prevalence of SMA among medical students was 49.

Barriers to access of maternal health commodities among pregnant women in public health facilities in Ubungo Municipal Council, Tanzania.

Background: Access to maternal health commodities improves maternal outcome and reduce maternal deaths. Tanzania has put in place the fee exemption policy for mothers to access maternal health commodities for free, however, the implementation of user fee exemption has been challenging. Therefore, this study explored the barriers to access of maternal health commodities among pregnant women in public health facilities at Ubungo Municipal Council, Tanzania.

Safety profile of herbal medicines submitted for marketing authorization in Tanzania: a cross-sectional retrospective study.

Background: The popular use of herbal medicines necessitates national regulatory authorities to have efficient mechanisms for the control of these products including marketing authorization (MA) and safety follow-up. Herbal medicines like conventional medicines require assessment of efficacy, safety and quality information before MA can be granted. However, the complete proof of safety is mainly based on the history of the long-term traditional use.

Impact of COVID-19 on the supply chain of essential health commodities: a mixed method study, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 in the late 2019 led to major global health crises, including morbidities and mortalities. The pandemic has adversely affected the supply chain of essential health commodities globally. However, such data from sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania are largely limited.

Preformulation studies for generic omeprazole magnesium enteric coated tablets.

Preformulation is an important step in the rational formulation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Micromeritics properties: bulk density (BD) and tapped density (TD), compressibility index (Carr's index), Hauser's ratio (H), and sieve analysis were performed in order to determine the best excipients to be used in the formulation development of omeprazole magnesium enteric coated tablets. Results show that omeprazole magnesium has fair flow and compressibility properties (BD 0.

Self-initiation of antiretroviral therapy in the developing world: the involvement of private pharmacies in an HIV program.

Background: Self-initiation to antiretroviral treatment (ART) exposes the patient to the risk of drug toxicity, poor adherence to treatment, and escalates the development of drug resistance.

Objectives: To determine the sources of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs by unregistered human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients and the extent of ARV self-medication.

Methods: Simulated clients were used to investigate availability and ARV dispensing practice in the private pharmacies in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Patient satisfaction with health care services provided at HIV clinics at Amana and Muhimbili hospitals in Dar es Salaam.

Background: Since the establishment of free HIV/AIDS care and treatment services in Tanzania a lot of research has been done to assess how health care providers discharge their duties in these clinics. Little research however has been done regarding satisfaction of HIV patients with free health care services provided.

Objectives: To determine satisfaction of HIV patients with health care services provided at the HIV clinics and specifically, to determine patients' satisfaction with the general physical environment of the clinic and with services offered by doctors, nurses, laboratory, and pharmacy.

An assessment of dispensing practices in private pharmacies in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Objectives: To assess medicine dispensing practices in private pharmacies in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and recommend interventions to improve practice.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey and observational study of dispensing practices among 70 pharmacies in metropolitan Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Key Findings: There were 1479 dispensing encounters recorded across the 70 pharmacies.

Lack of impact of artesunate on the disposition kinetics of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine when the two drugs are concomitantly administered.

Objective: To determine the effect of artesunate (AT) on the disposition kinetics of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) in humans.

Methods: In a randomized cross-over study, 16 healthy volunteers were given a dose of three SP tablets containing 500 mg of sulfadoxine (SDX) and 25 mg of pyrimethamine (PYR) (=SP group), while the second arm received three SP tablets + two AT tablets of 200 mg in total followed by 100 mg AT for the next 4 days (SP+AT group). Blood samples (100 microl) were collected by means of a finger prick and dried on filter paper.

Plants used to treat epilepsy by Tanzanian traditional healers.

A cross-sectional study performed in Temeke District (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) showed that 5.5% of the traditional healers have knowledge for the treatment of epilepsy. Of the 100 healers interviewed, 30 (30%) believed that epilepsy was caused by witchcraft, while 19 (19%) thought epilepsy has a genetic origin which can be inherited.