Compliance of public health facilities with essential medicines and health supplies redistribution guidelines in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda: a mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Redistribution of essential medicines and health supplies (EMHS) is a mechanism to address supply chain uncertainty by moving excess stock of health commodities from health facilities that are overstocked to health facilities with shortages, where it is most needed. It prevents the wastage of scarce resources and improves efficiency within a health supply chain system. Many public health facilities in Uganda experience stock-outs, overstocking, and expiry of essential medicines.

Predictors of controlled prescription drug non-medical and lifetime use among patients accessing public mental health services in Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: We determined the prevalence of controlled prescription drug (CPD) non-medical and lifetime use and their predictors among patients at three public psychiatric clinics in Uganda to identify missed care opportunities, enhanced screening priorities, and drug control needs.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1275 patients was performed from November to December 2018. Interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires, desk review guide and urine drug assays were employed.

Compliance of private pharmacies in Uganda with controlled prescription drugs regulations: a mixed-methods study.

Background: Controlled prescription drug use disorders are a growing global health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa. Effective supply chain regulations on dispensing and stock control are important for controlling this epidemic. Since compliance with these regulations in resource-limited countries is poor, there is need to understand its predictors in order to reduce the risk of prescription drug use disorders.

An analysis of hospital pharmacy practice in six countries of sub-Saharan Africa based on the International Pharmaceutical Federation Basel Statements on the future of hospital pharmacy.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to update the self-assessment tool and to evaluate current hospital pharmacy practices in six sub-Saharan African countries.

Methods: Questions in the validated survey were edited if the revised Basel Statement changed intent. A total of 13 updates were made.

Factors associated with occupancy of pharmacist positions in public sector hospitals in Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Pharmacists are invaluable resources in health care. Their expertise in pharmacotherapy and medicine management both ensures that medicines of appropriate quality are available in health facilities at the right cost and are used appropriately. Unfortunately, some countries like Uganda have shortage of pharmacists in public health facilities, the dominant providers of care.

Rheumatic heart disease in Uganda: the association between MHC class II HLA DR alleles and disease: a case control study.

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), the only long term consequence of acute rheumatic fever, remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young adults in Uganda. An inherited susceptibility to acute rheumatic fever centers around the major histocompatibility class II human leucocyte antigens. However, there is paucity of data from sub-Saharan Africa.

Socioeconomic and environmental risk factors among rheumatic heart disease patients in Uganda.

Background: Although low socioeconomic status, and environmental factors are known risk factors for rheumatic heart disease in other societies, risk factors for rheumatic heart disease remain less well described in Uganda.

Aims And Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the role of socio-economic and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of rheumatic heart disease in Ugandan patients.

Methods: This was a case control study in which rheumatic heart disease cases and normal controls aged 5-60 years were recruited and investigated for socioeconomic and environmental risk factors such as income status, employment status, distance from the nearest health centre, number of people per house and space area per person.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive adolescents in Uganda assessed by multiple methods: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The effectiveness of traditional adherence measurements used in adolescent populations is difficult to assess. Antiretroviral (ARV) adherence research among adolescents living with HIV in resource-constrained countries is particularly challenging and little evidence is available.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of a large-scale, long-term study using electronic adherence monitoring in Uganda.

Non-adherence to anti-TB drugs among TB/HIV co-infected patients in Mbarara Hospital Uganda: prevalence and associated factors.

Background: Non-adherence to treatment remains a major obstacle to efficient tuberculosis control in developing countries. The dual infection of Tuberculosis and HIV presents further adherence problems because of high pill burden and adverse effects. This poses a risk of increased multi-drug resistant TB.

Existing capacity to manage pharmaceuticals and related commodities in East Africa: an assessment with specific reference to antiretroviral therapy.

Background: East African countries have in the recent past experienced a tremendous increase in the volume of antiretroviral drugs. Capacity to manage these medicines in the region remains limited. Makerere University, with technical assistance from the USAID supported Rational Pharmaceutical Management Plus (RPM Plus) Program of Management Sciences for Health (MSH) established a network of academic institutions to build capacity for pharmaceutical management in the East African region.

A strategy to improve skills in pharmaceutical supply management in East Africa: the regional technical resource collaboration for pharmaceutical management.

Background: International initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President's Malaria Initiative have significantly increased availability and access to medicines in some parts of the developing world. Despite this, however, skills remain limited on quantifying needs for medications and ordering, receiving and storing medications appropriately; recording medications inventories accurately; distributing medications for use appropriately; and advising patients on how to use medications appropriately. The Regional Technical Resource Collaboration for Pharmaceutical Management (RTRC) has been established to help address the problem of skills shortage in pharmaceutical management in East Africa.