Rational drug use workshops for consumers in Nepal

Abstract

Between June 1997 and March 1999, a non-government organization called Resource Centre for Primary Health Care carried out a series of six workshops for consumers on issues related to drug use. The workshops, conducted at Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Gorkha, Mahendranagar and Dang, covered all the five Development Regions of Nepal and included a total of 168 participants representating school teachers, journalists, grass-root health workers, non-government organization staff, members of consumer groups, the general public, and drug retailers. The overall objective of the workshop series was to bring consumers and consumer interest groups together to discuss issues that help promote rational drug use. The specific objectives were to sensitize the target audience regarding: the problem of irrational drug use and unethical drug promotion; appropriate purchase and storage of medicines; correct use of medicines including those that require special techniques of use; responsible selfmedication; and rights & responsibilities of consumers for appropriate drug use. The methods included interactive presentations by resource persons followed by extensive floor discussions and group works. Handouts, graphic presentations, real medicine samples, posters, bulletins and pamphlets were liberally used. Results of anonymous questionnaire surveys, done at the end of each workshop, indicated that
the workshops were perceived to be useful and interesting by the vast majority of participants.