Evaluation of Drug Prescription Pattern in Pediatric Out-Patient Department in Science and Technology Hospital Sana'a, Yemen

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated drug prescription patterns in the pediatric outpatient department at Science and Technology Hospital in Sana'a, Yemen, according to World Health Organization drug-prescribing indicators. Objective: To evaluate the alignment of prescribing practices with WHO recommendations in the pediatric outpatient department. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in December 2022, analyzing prescription data from more than 681 pediatric encounters. Results: The average number of drugs prescribed was 3.19 per encounter. Injections accounted for 11% of prescribed drugs and antibiotics for 16.5%. Only 4.9% of drugs were prescribed by generic name, and approximately 72% were selected from the essential medicines list. Conclusion: The proportion of antibiotics and injectable drugs met WHO indicators. However, the number of drugs per encounter, generic prescribing, and selection from the essential medicines list did not meet WHO targets. The findings indicate a need to improve prescribing practices to enhance patient safety and reduce adverse drug reactions in pediatric patients, particularly in private healthcare settings.