Assessment of role of pharmacists in managing ailments and ensuring medication safety at Dire Dawa town, East Ethiopia

Background: Community pharmacistsare the most accessible healthprofessionals to the general public and pharmacistsareincreasinglybeingrecognized as a source of professionalhealth-relatedadvice. Objective:Theaimofthestudyis to assessroleofpharmacistsin managingailmentsandensuringmedication safety at Dire Dawatown, East Ethiopiafrom Feb20, 2021 to Mar 20, 2021.. Method: Community pharmacy based cross-sectional study was conducted with interview and structured self-administered questionnaires. All community pharmacists found in Dire Dawa town and willing to participate in the study were included. Data was collected from Feb 20, 2021 to Mar 20, 2021. The data is analyzed and presented using tables. Result: In the current study 50 study participants was included. The 87% of the respondents are graduated with first degree and 13% are graduated with masters. All of the respondents replied that they respond effectively to patient’s disease symptoms in their pharmacy and have responsibility to respond to patient’s symptom. The 67% of the respondents replied that that lack of knowledge and influence of pharmaceutical industry is the main factor for inappropriate symptom management in community pharmacy. Disease symptoms managed by the community pharmacists were cold/flue 37[73%], cough 20[40%], diarrhea 14[27%], and inflammation 10[20%]. The 33[67%] of respondents manage disease symptoms by giving medication, while 33[67%] and 14[27%] manage symptoms by advising the patient to visit doctor and to usehomeremediesrespectively. The 33[67%] of respondentsrepliedthatthey ask if thepatienthaveadverse drug reaction before they dispense medication.