DOI: njcpt.com.ng/101.1.2.18
Corresponding Author: OSHIN Ayotola Omolara
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy,
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Email: oshinayotola89@gmail.com
Abstract
Background: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. By March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the virus and pandemic due to the thousands of deaths caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) recorded worldwide.
Objectives: This study provides information on the effect of services provided by Community pharmacists for limiting transmission, safety measures, pharmaceutical care and its effect during the pandemic. The study focuses on the impacts of the pandemic on pharmaceutical care provided by Community pharmacists using community pharmacies in Lagos, Nigeria, as a case study.
Method: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out using questionnaires. One hundred twenty questionnaires were administered to pharmacists in community pharmacies in 10 of the 20 Local Government Areas in Lagos. Data was gathered on socio-demographics, the Impact of COVID-19 on general working conditions, an assessment of the economic impact and the level of implementation of pharmaceutical care in the community pharmacy using a 31-item Likert scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean and percentages) were computed on the questionnaire items. The data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 21 (SPSS 21).
Results: The study's response rate was 82.19%, with 60.83% of participants being male and 35.83% female. The result of this study showed that 60.5% of the respondents reported an impact of COVID-19 on general working conditions, 83.8% reported that COVID-19 guidelines were implemented, 79% agreed that COVID-19 had an economic impact on the community pharmacy and 74.5% reported implementation of pharmaceutical care practices in the community pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: The result of this study has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected community practice significantly in the areas of implementation of pharmaceutical care and the general working conditions in community pharmacies across Lagos State. In contrast, Community pharmacies across Lagos state recorded high patronage, with Community Pharmacies being the first point of call due to easy accessibility for clients seeking advice or having clinical complaints and hence, an increase in income.
Keywords: Pandemic, Pharmaceutical care, Community Pharmacy