The study conducted in the CFPR/TUP areas of the first phase has shown that the salespeople at drug retail outlets and the village doctors (Palli chikitsak) are one of the major sources of allopathic healthcare for the poor and the disadvantaged people in Bangladesh, besides community health workers/volunteers (CHW/CHV). As a follow-up of this finding, a pilot research project was undertaken to improve the quality of care provided by the above-mentioned categories of providers. The participatory training intervention began in September 2006 in Domar Upazila of Nilphamari district. Pre-training activities included an inventory of the informal providers, a survey on their current knowledge and practices, and need assessment workshops. A comprehensive training package was developed. The six modules of the training package are: i) Fever and rational use of drugs (reducing misuse/overuse of drugs), adverse drug reaction and pharmaceutical care; ii) Diarrhoea, dysentery and digestive problems; iii) Pain and body aches (rheumatism); iv) Pneumonia/ARI in children; v) Reproductive health, RTI/STI/ and HIV/AIDS; and vi) Food, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle. The sessions were fully participatory. The training manual of the respective topic was distributed among the participants after completing the sessions. Modest monetary incentives including actual travel cost and daily allowance were provided to the trainees. It is also expected that the participants who would successfully complete all the sessions would be awarded certificates. The first phase (fever, rationale use of drugs and medicine dispensing) and the second phase (diarrhoea, dysentery and gastric ulcer) of the training were completed in December 2006.
Authors: Hossain, Mohammad Awlad; Ahmed, Syed Masud
Type: Report
Year: 2006
