E-DRUG: Access to opioid analgesics for medical use at hospital level in the
Democratic Republic of Congo
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Dear Friends,
We have just published an exploratory study on access to opioid analgesics
for medical use in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The article is open
access in Tropical Medicine International Health.
Please find here the link:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/tmi.13837).
Please also find herein the abstract of the article:
Objective - To investigate the availability of and access to opioid
analgesics at hospital level in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Methods - Exploratory mixed-method study combining a descriptive survey of
the availability of opioid analgesics at hospital pharmacies with a
qualitative survey that explored the experiences and perceptions of health
care workers, managers, patients and caregivers, by means of a short
questionnaire and of semi-structured interviews. The study was conducted in
a convenience sample of twelve hospitals, located in five different
provinces, in 2021.
Results - The quality and completeness of stock data for opioid analgesics
were generally poor. Stock-outs were frequent. Only five hospital pharmacies
had records on prescriptions of opioids in 2020. In-patients and caregivers
indicated they generally must purchase opioids out-of-pocket, sometimes far
from the place of residence. Doctors and nurses confirmed that prescribed
opioids are often unavailable at the hospital pharmacy. Furthermore, they
suggested an important need of training in pain management with opioids, and
of effective regulation to ensure opioid availability. Pharmacists and
managers recognized important weaknesses in the processes of needs
quantification, stock management, planning and supply.
Conclusions - Our exploratory study suggests the need of a complex set of
coordinated actions to be undertaken by all relevant actors in DRC to
correct the poor practices in opioid management and to improve opioid
availability, affordability and adequate use. This will require a change of
mindset to overcome the neglect of the health needs of persons with acute
and chronic pain.
Raffaella Ravinetto
Institute of Tropical Medicine
Antwerp, Belgium
rravinetto@itg.be
http://www.itg.be/