A systematic review of the medicine dispensing practice in Bangladesh

To review existing research on medicine dispensing practice in Bangladesh, as well as to determine and assess the role that quacks and drug dealers play in irrational drug usage. The databases PubMed, Scopus, BanglaJOL, Embase, and Web of Science were used to conduct a literature search. To identify publications from the last 24 years, a predetermined search approach focused on implementation context, function, and automation was employed. Using predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria, two researchers independently filtered the search results sequentially by title, abstract, and full text. A standardized form was used to extract data and evaluate its quality. The inclusion criteria were satisfied with 14 studies. The primary techniques utilized to investigate dispensing mistakes were direct observation and the review of event reports. The classification of dispensing mistakes, study methodology, and dispensing technology all affected the dispensing error rates. The most reported dispensing mistakes were giving the incorrect medication, giving the incorrect dose form, and the incorrect drug strength. The most frequent causes of dispensing mistakes were excessive workload, inadequate staffing, confusion between similar-sounding and similar-looking medications, insufficient expertise or experience, interruptions or diversions, and poor communication among the dispensary personnel. In Bangladesh, training improved the knowledge and behaviors of Grade A pharmacists about medication delivery.