Evaluation of Drug Prescription Pattern in Pediatric Out-Patient Department in Science and Technology Hospital Sana'a, Yemen

Background: This study evaluates the drug prescription patterns in the pediatric outpatient department at Science and Technology Hospital in Sana'a, Yemen, according to WHO indicators for drug prescription. Objectives: To Evaluate the prescribing practices alignment with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations in the pediatric outpatient department at Science and Technology Hospital in Sana'a, Yemen Method: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in December 2022, analyzing prescription data from over 681 pediatric encounters. Results: The average number of drugs prescribed was 3.19 per encounter. Only 11% of the drugs were injections. Antibiotics comprised 16.5% of total prescriptions, but only 4.9% of drugs were prescribed by generic name, and about 72 % of the prescribed drugs were prescribed from the essential drugs list. Conclusion: According to the findings, only the amount of antibiotics prescribed and the average number of injectable drugs meet the WHO indicators. However, the number of drugs prescribed per encounter, prescribing drugs with generic names, and choosing a drug from the essential drug list are less than the WHO indicator rate. The findings underscore the need to improve prescribing practices to enhance patient safety and reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions in the pediatric population, particularly in private healthcare settings. Keywords: Drug Prescription, Pediatrics, Clinical Pharmacology, World Health Organization