Abstract:
Advice and prescription for acute uncomplicated
diarrhoea in children under five years
given at pharmacy shops and the availability of
Oral Rehydration Salts (DRS) was studied in
the city of Accra, Ghana. A Public Health
Nurse acting as the mother of a fictitious child
with acute diarrhoea sought advice {rom 37
randomly selected pharmacy shops and purchased
all recommended treatment. 33 out of
the 37 shops sold drug items to the mother.
Only two shops (5.4%) sold her ORS. The rest
dispensed kaolin/pectin/antibiotic combinations.
None asked the mother to seek medical
advice. Eight shops gave instructions as to how
to prepare home-made oral rehydration solutions
only on request. There is the need {or
continuing public education all the value of
DRS in preventing dehydration in Ghana. The
strategy for ORS distribution also requires
revision