Assessment of Malaria Case Management Practices Among Community Pharmacists in Ibadan, Oyo State

Community pharmacists serve as front-line healthcare providers for malaria case management in urban Nigeria, and their prescribing practices significantly influence treatment outcomes and resistance patterns. This study assessed malaria case management practices among registered community pharmacists in Ibadan, Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria. A structured self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 140 pharmacists across four local government areas. The questionnaire assessed diagnostic practices before prescribing, first-line drug selection, adherence to national treatment guidelines, and awareness of artemisinin partial resistance. Additional data were obtained through simulated client methodology, where trained observers recorded responses to standardised malaria complaint scenarios. Compliance with national treatment guidelines was documented in only 54.3 percent of pharmacists surveyed. Over-the-counter artemisinin monotherapy dispensing was observed in 31.4 percent of simulated client interactions. Diagnostic testing before prescribing was practiced by fewer than 20 percent of respondents. Pharmacists with recent continuing pharmaceutical education were significantly more guideline-compliant. The study recommends mandatory targeted training on national malaria treatment guidelines for community pharmacists as part of continuing professional development, with regulatory enforcement by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria. Keywords: malaria case management, community pharmacists, treatment guidelines, artemisinin, Ibadan.