Abstract

Introduction: Controlling the unprecedented novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is nowadays the priority of every nation, including Ethiopia. The objective of this survey was to evaluate the readiness of community drug retail outlets amid COVID-19 emergency response efforts in Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2020 at community drug retail outlets in Jimma town, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia as part of the ongoing Jimma University COVID–19 Rapid Response Program. An observational checklist, containing 13-items with yes/no options, adapted from International Pharmaceutics Federation was used for facility preparedness, while self-administered structured questionnaire adapted from international guidelines on COVID–19 prevention deployed to collect baseline knowledge (12-items), practice (six-items) and attitude (five-items) of individual pharmacy staff at the surveyed facilities. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS.

Results: Forty-six community drug retail outlets and their pharmacy workforce participated in the survey. The respondents prevailed good awareness with regard to means of transmission (90%) and incubation period (76%) and how to proceed with suspected cases (80%). Most of the community pharmacists had positive attitude towards preventability of COVID-19 and the control measures they should exercise in order to safeguard themselves and the public. In this intent, most of them reported disinfect their hands regularly and cover their nose and mouth when they sneeze or cough (96%), keep a distance of 1 to 2 meters between them and clients (98%) and avoided hand shaking (80%). Nevertheless, only just over half of the practitioners (56%) correctly mentioned the cardinal symptoms of the disease adequately, and only about 21% wear personal protective equipments. Most drug outlets had availed hand washing areas (84%), avoided hand shaking and physical contacts (78%), maintained 1-2 meters (75%) distance and limited the number of clients that enter their pharmacy at a time (86%). Nevertheless, majority of pharmacies (>80%), neither posted notices, use markings on floors, disinfect facilities, nor use tray while handling prescriptions or cashes.

Conclusions: Overall knowledge on COVID–19 and personal practice of control measures by community pharmacists was unsatisfactory. Collectively, facility preparedness of the drug outlets was good but with a number of specifics areas that require improvements.

Keywords: COVID–19 pandemic, Community pharmacies, Readiness, Preparedness, Drug

retail outlets, Jimma, Ethiopia