Abstract:

Background: Poor patients’ understanding of medicine information given by pharmaceutical personnel may cause low therapeutic effect or increase in toxicity on using the medication. So we assessed on the patients’ understanding of medicine information given by pharmaceutical personnel.

Methodology: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Compounding unit pharmacy in Bugando Medical Centre (BMC).The study population involved all 223 patients or clients attended compounding unit pharmacy. They were interviewed by the researcher using the structured questionnaire written in Swahili or English language. Obtained data was analysed using the SPSS statistical software.

Results: In a total of 223 patients more than half of participant they were unable to read correctly the written drugs instructions such generic name ,frequency of administration and number of units per dose. Also patients were lag behind in verbal medicine information that were provided by pharmaceutical personnel example of those parameters involve number of units in which patient may take at once, relating the medication with meals as well as special drug instruction such as storage condition and adverse drug reaction.

Conclusion: The status of patients understanding medicine information given by pharmaceutical personnel at compounding unit were moderately to half of the participants ,so some strategies need to be taken upon so as to improve the patients’ knowledge and understanding of medicine information provide by pharmaceutical personnel