Introduction:
Community Pharmacists (CPs) and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) are the first point of primary health care for most Nigerians. Given their widespread presence, IntegratE project works with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to broaden its task-sharing and task-shifting (TSTS) policy by piloting a tiered accreditation system, led by the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) in Lagos and Kaduna States with the view to scale-up the concept. The project builds on evidence and learning generated during implementation to improve private sector provision of family planning (FP) services in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to compare health trained PPMVs' knowledge and skills gained and retained at 9 months to public health care providers offering FP counselling and injectables and implants services in the public sector.
Methodology:
656 health trained PPMVs were trained on how to provide quality FP counseling services using the Balance Counseling Strategy toolkit. Nine months after training, their knowledge and practice of contraceptive service delivery were assessed and compared with public health providers in some selected health facilities, using structured questionnaire. Bivariate analysis using chi-square was used to determine the level of difference between health trained PPMVs and public providers.
Results
There was no significant difference in general FP counseling knowledge between health trained PPMVs and public providers in almost all indicators. Knowledge of side effects and contraindications of injectables and implants was significantly lower among health trained PPMVs compared to public facility providers. There was no significant difference in knowledge of administration of injectables between health trained PPMVs and public providers.
Conclusion
Findings showed that health trained PPMVs can provide similar services provided in public facilities. Expanding the range of FP methods provided by health trained PPMVs will contribute to task sharing policy of FMoH and increase access to contraceptives in underserved areas.
