Assessment of Paediatric Dosing Accuracy in Prescriptions at a Children’s Hospital in Plateau State

Dosing errors in paediatric prescriptions are among the most clinically significant medication safety concerns in Nigerian hospital settings, where weight-based dosing requires careful calculation and verification. This study assessed the accuracy of paediatric dosing in prescriptions at a children's hospital in Jos, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. A retrospective cross-sectional review was conducted on 600 paediatric inpatient prescriptions retrieved from hospital records over a twelve-month period. Dose accuracy was evaluated by calculating the prescribed dose per kilogram body weight and comparing it against standard reference ranges from the British National Formulary for Children and the WHO Model Formulary for Children. Dosing errors were defined as prescribed doses deviating by more than ten percent from the recommended range. Results revealed dosing errors in 29.2 percent of prescriptions reviewed. Overdosing accounted for 61.1 percent of errors while underdosing represented 38.9 percent. The highest error rates were observed in prescriptions for antimalarials (38.6 percent), antibiotics (33.2 percent), and antipyretics (27.4 percent). Prescriptions written by house officers had significantly higher error rates than those by consultants (p < 0.01). Missing or inaccurate body weight documentation contributed to error risk in 22.3 percent of cases. The study recommends mandatory weight documentation at admission, pharmacy dose verification protocols, and regular prescriber training on paediatric pharmacotherapy at all children's healthcare facilities in Plateau State. Keywords: paediatric dosing, prescription errors, medication safety, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria