Health Managers’ Knowledge of Essential Drugs and the Availability of Essential Drugs in Primary Health Care Centres in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria

Background: The significant indicator to access to effective treatment is the constant availability of essential drugs in health facilities and the accessibility to essential drugs is part of the fulfilment of the right to the highest attainable standard of health, that is, the right to health. There is compelling evidence of reduced availability of essential drugs which poses a significant barrier to access to medicines.

Objective: To determine the knowledge of essential drugs by health managers and the availability of essential drugs in primary health care (PHC) centres in Sokoto state, North-Western Nigeria.

Methodology: The study population comprised of selected Primary Health Care Centres and their supervisory managers across Sokoto state. The study was cross-sectional and descriptive.

Results: Sixty-six primary health care managers and their corresponding health facilities participated in the study. The mean age of the health managers was 43 years with 46 females and 20 males. This study found mean availability of essential drugs in the primary health care centres with 57.5% having adequate essential drugs, the knowledge of essential drugs among the primary health care facility managers was poor and the knowledge has a significant effect on the availability of essential drugs (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Poor knowledge on essential drugs and its management by the Primary Health Facility Managers was a major contributing factor to the availability of essential drugs in the PHCs which consequently affects health service delivery at the health facilities. Training and re-training of primary health care managers on essential drugs and its management by the Sokoto state government through the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) are recommended.