PHARMACY DEPARTMENT

Temeke Regional Referral Hospital Pharmacy deals with provision of pharmaceutical services for both outpatients and inpatients. The department is managed by skilled pharmaceutical personnel (pharmacist) Joyce Owenya (BPHARM). There are total 15 technical staff in in the field of pharmaceutical, where 6 are pharmacists and 9 are pharmaceutical technicians. this Currently the department have only outpatient services through three OPD pharmacies, namely:

• C T C Pharmacy
• Methadone Pharmacy
• Insurance, Exception & Cash Pharmacy.

The function descriptions of those pharmacies are:

CTC PHARMACY.

This section that deals with the provisions of ARV’S drug to HIV infected patients through high skilled pharmaceutical personnel. In addition, the unit provides information to patients about side effects and adverse drug reactions (ADR’s) of ARV’S so as to promote rational use of medicine. This section serves 193 to 230 clients per day.

METHADONE PHARMACY

The section does the provision of METHADONE to drugs addicted patients through assigned pharmaceutical personnel. It also gives information to patients regarding side effects and adverse drug reaction (ADR’s) of methadone so as to promote rational use of medicine. The section prepares orders for methadone through head of section, then reconstitution of the medicine follows. About 50000MLs of methadone solution are prepared and it serves 980 clients per month.

INSURANCE, EXEMPTION & CASH PHARMACY.

This section is responsible for provision of drugs to patient of three categories: insurance (NHIF, NSSF, and STRATEGIES), Cash clients and exempted through high skilled pharmaceutical personnel. In addition, the unit deals with the provisions of information to patients about side effects and Adverse drug reactions (ADR’s) of drugs so as to promote rational use of medicine.

The pharmacy serves 300 NHIF clients per day, 180 cash clients and 30-40 exemption clients per day.

Moreover, the department also performs preparations of medicines orders, medical devices, infusions and disinfectants to Tanzania Medical Stores Department (MSD). The orders are prepared and sent to MSD quarterly through e-ELMIS system. The department has pharmaceutical store for storage of pharmaceuticals with the volume size of 320m². In addition, the pharmacy conducts distribution of pharmaceuticals to sections of the hospital and gathers all expired medicines to special area for expired located inside the general hospital store.