HEALTH EDUCATION APPROACH TO THE TRAINING OF PATENT MEDICINE SELLERS AT IGBO-ORA, OYO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The relevance of training to manpower development for primary health care cannot be overemphasized. Patent medicine sellers play important roles in the study area where they serve as the first port of call for residents who practice self-medication in primary health care. This intervention study focused on the identification of the problems and needs of the Patent Medicine Sellers which formed the basis for upgrading their knowledge of the prioritized prevailing health conditions of the community where they operate, and hence making them safer contacts with their clientele. The study started in October 1988 and ended in March, 1989. Igboora and Eruwa constituted the study sites. Thirty-three Patent Medicine Sellers of the experimental group took part in the pretest while 16 of their control counterparts were similarly involved in the pretest. A total of 37 Patent Medicine Sellers consisting of 28 licensed patent medicine sellers and 9 apprentices received training, took the posttest and were awarded attendance certificates. Fourteen members of the control took the posttest. The research endeavor is quasi-experimental in design with the IIgboora based patent medicine sellers as the experimental group while their counterparts at Eruwa served as the control. A combination of several instruments consisting of review of records, observations, key informants approach, discussion group and pretest, yielded information on the baseline knowledge, practices, needs, problems and demographic characteristics in terms of age, sex, educational status and involvement in other jobs. Most patent medicine sellers regard patent medicine business as a means of getting supplemental income. A post test was conducted at the end of the training programme and through a comparative analysis of the pre-and post-tests results, information in respect of the overall and specific gain in knowledge (learning outcomes) and change in reported (and desirable) attitudes or practices were obtained. The success of the training programme is rooted in the voluntary and participatory roles of the trainees in all the processes of programme planning, implementation and evaluation. Most of the drugs reportedly sold to customers were not basically relevant to the health conditions which their customers presented. Both prescription and non-prescription drugs were reportedly sold. The results of the study have implications for the conduct of similar training programmes in future. There is need for the training of potential patent medicine sellers by the state ministry of health before awarding them the patent/proprietary medicine Vendors Licence. There is also urgent need for the revision of the pharmacy laws to broaden the scope of operation of the patent medicine sellers and create other specific roles for them in the practice of primacy health care such as referral and medication counselling.