3 research outputs found
Patent medicine vendors, community pharmacists and STI management in Abuja, Nigeria
Background: Increasingly, literature indicates that Patent Medicine
Vendors (PMVs) and Community Pharmacists (CPs) provide sexual
reproductive health services and products to their young patrons.
Objectives: This study explored the validity of literature claims,
principally from CPs and PMVs perspective in Abuja, Nigeria. Methods:
Participants were recruited with convenience sampling based on their
willingness to participate in the study and our judgement of their
professional competence. They were administered a semi-structured
questionnaire, which was after McCracken′s long interview We
empirically assessed the validity of CPs and PMVs opinions with an exit
interview of seven consenting patrons. Interviews were audio taped,
transcribed verbatim and subjected to iterative thematic analysis.
Results: Participants′ accounts and our observations indicate
that PMVs and CPs serve young people′s sexual reproductive
healthcare needs in Abuja. CPs and PMVs provide young people with a
seamless and non-judgemental access to contraceptives, sexual health
advice and post-sexual risk exposure care. Conclusion: The study
corroborates literature claims that CPs and PMVs provide sexual
reproductive health advice, services and products to young people.
However, participants contend that the current pharmacy practice laws
in Nigeria constrain the scope and quality of services that young
unmarried people require. Because it is unlikely that Nigeria will
reinvigorate her primary healthcare system soon, we call for the formal
co-option of CPs and PMVs into the sexual reproductive health
management system to standardize and improve services