Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 1

Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

Introduction
This report is mainly based on the field trip of Advanced Certificate in Pharmacy 19th
batch to H.Dh.Kulhudufushi on 27th October to 03rd November. For this trip our flight
Q2-402 starts journey to Hanimadhoo at 12:30pm and it landed at 01:30pm. From
Hanimadhoo we went to Kulhudufushi at 02:00pm. In this trip we have to survey
about how people are aware for medicines. We did this survey in both
Kulhudhufushi and Nolhivaranfaru. In this survey we have find and observe how
safely they are using medicines. To complete this survey first we took permission
from island chief of both the islands. In Kulhudufushi everyday we have to do survey
from 5 houses per student for 4 days. We did survey from total 105 houses in
Kulhudhufushi. In kulhudufushi we did survey by group of 2 students, so we have to
complete 10 houses per day for each student. In Nolhivaranfaru each student has to
do survey from 5 houses. We did survey from total 29 houses of Nolhivaranfaru. On
everyday we have to complete duty in Kulhudufushi pharmacies located in front of
the hospital. Yellow pharmacy and Asrafee chemist. While doing duty we have to
dispense medicines for prescriptions with clear instruction.

Survey Report of kulhudufushi:

On 28th, 29th and 30th October we start our survey at 08:00am, after completing 10
houses we finished at 12:30pm. On these 3 days I did my survey from these houses:

28th October (Sunday)

 Salma Mohamed – morning breeze.

 Moosa Ali – Maavina.
 Aminath Ali – shady villa.
 Fathimath Ibrahim – shark.
 Shahula Ali – Esjehige.

29th October (Monday)

 Faxna Ali – Mikura.

 Badhuruhzamaan – Alite.
 Hawwa Qasim – Banafsaage.
 Mohamed Musthafa – Galandhunge.
 Nafeesha Ali – Manzil.

30th October (Tuesday)

 Aminath Hassan – Naainfaru.

 Latheefa Ali – Latheefymanzil.
 Aminath Hussain – Bahaaruge.
 Aishath Hassan – Sheheriaage.
 Naahidha – Univaluge.

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 2
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

Findings from Survey that done in Kulhudhufushi

We did survey from Kulhudhufushi total 105 houses. In these 105 houses there are
total 781 peoples. In these 105 houses there are 99 children under 5 years.

In Kulhudhufushi there is a Regional Hospital. From our survey we found that every
one in Kulhudhufushi is consulting their health problems with Doctor’s working in
Hospital. In Kulhudhufushi the most commonly occurring illnesses are like cough,
cold, stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever sore throat, breathing
difficulty, sore eyes and some kind of skin conditions. In this survey we find that
some of these conditions are very common in particular houses.

The graph below shows the most commonly occurring illnesses or conditions that
are occurring in the people of these houses.

From our finding, all people of these 105 houses they are taking doctors prescribe
medicines from pharmacy. In front of hospital there are 3 pharmacies. All the
people said that they are getting enough advice or information about the medicines
that they are obtaining from pharmacy.

From the people of these 105 houses; 104 people agree that pharmacist advice how
much to take at a time and 100 people agree that pharmacist advice what time of a
day to take medicines and how long to take it for. All of them told that pharmacist is
giving information’s with a label attached to the medicine; from that 44 people told
that they are getting information by verbally and 30 people told that they are
getting information on both ways.

The pie chart below shows the ways how information is given medicine to the
people while taking medicines.

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 3
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

They all told that pharmacist always given adequate information about medicines
when they are taking medicine for doctors prescription and with out prescription by
over the counter also.

Many of them told that their opinion with Maldivian pharmacist with Diploma
qualification working in the pharmacy will better than foreigners. This is because
they can share their some personal health problems with Maldivian pharmacist and
can have easy and effective communication between pharmacist and customer.
When they are taking medicines, if any information is missing or not given they are
going back to pharmacy and completing information’s before taking medicines.

Many of them are keeping panadol tablets normally in houses in case they are
needed. 60 peoples are using panadol and 11 people told that they are not taking
panadol.

The graph below shows the number of people who are using panadol tablet for the
common illnesses.

They are taking panadol is its recommended dose. Not more than the
recommended. From these all peoples around 46 people aware that it is dangerous
to health if it take too much panadol and 56 people of these does not know that it is
dangerous to if it take too much. I advice all of them to do not take more than 2 at
any one time and do not take more than 8 in 24 hours. Also I explain them do not
take with any other paracetamol products and some of the side effects of panadol
will overdose also.

The chart below shows the number of people who are aware and not aware the
dangerous if it take too much panadol.

In our survey, we asked about antibiotics from them but normally people don’t know
what is antibiotic and how it should be using and what is it for. Although they don’t
know they are usually using it. So I explain them what antibiotic is and what is it
used for and what will happen if they do not complete the prescribe course. I advice
them to take at regular intervals and complete the prescribe course of medicine
unless otherwise directed. In these people 28 of them have told that they are taken
antibiotics and 52 of them haven’t taken antibiotics. From these 21 people are

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 4
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

taking antibiotics until finish the course and 13 of them taking until the symptoms
disappeared.

From the people of these 105 houses, 59 people have gone to the pharmacy to get
help with medical problems from the pharmacist and 31 of these told they have
never gone to get help from pharmacist. When they are going to pharmacy to get
help for medical conditions from pharmacist and when they are taking medicines
over the counter also pharmacist will give information or enough advice about the
medicines. 48 of these people agree for that they are getting good help and advice
and 31 of them told they are not getting good help and advice from pharmacist
when they are taking OTC medicines.

We asked from them what they are normally doing to the unwanted medicines. For
this 90 people told they throw medicines in the form of rubbish, 2 people told they
keep them in case they are needed again and 10 of them told that they return to
the pharmacy. I advice them what was the best way to do for unwanted medicines.

The chart below shows the number of people how they are normally doing to the
unwanted medicines that they have.

While doing the survey, we asked that weather they are using any traditional
(Dhivehi) medicine, for this question 26 of these people told that they are using
these types of medicines and 35 people told that they haven’t use any types of
medicines rather than prescription medicine. From these 26 people 16 people are
using prepared medicine and 12 people are using medicines they prepared with
instruction from practitioner. They are using these medicines normally for pain.

We asked from them where they normally keep their medicines that they are taking
for doctor’s prescription or over the counter with out prescription. They told the
places and show the places that they store their medicines. Normally they are
keeping medicines n table, cupboard, fridge and locked places. I advice all them to
keep medicines in safe places like medicine given store in refrigerator, so u have to
see by keeping refrigerator, other wise it will not give any effect to patient. I advice
all them to keep medicines out of reach of children.

The graph below shows where the people 0f these105 houses are normally storing
their medicines at home.

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 5
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

Survey report of Nolhivaranfaru:

On 31st October (Wednesday) we went Nolhivanfaru to do survey. We start
our journey to Nolhivaranfaru at 08:35am and arrived at 10:00am. Island
chief of Nolhivaranfaru is Hussain Abdulla. First we went to Nolhivaranfaru
health center. After finishing the refreshment arranged by staffs of health
center we start our survey at 10:30am and after completing 5 houses I
finished at 12.00pm. I complete my survey with the help of some staffs of
the health center. In Nolhivaranfaru I survey with theses houses.

31st October (Wednesday)

 Aminath Rasheedh – Malaaz

 Fareedha Abdul Hakeem – Pink rose.
 Rugiyya Hassan – Seaweed.
 Sakeena Hussain – Naseemyvilla.
 Khadheeja Moosa – Beach villa.

Findings from survey that done in Nolhivaranfaru

Total number of houses that we survey was 29. In these 29 houses total 142
peoples are living with 15 Childs under 5 years. All the peoples living in these
houses were consulting there health problems with doctor working in the
health centre of Nolhivaranfaru.

This graph shows the most commonly occurring illnesses or conditions to people
living in these houses.

They all are normally obtaining medicines from health center of

Nolhivaranfaru. But 18 people told that they are taking medicines from

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 6
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

Kulhudhufushi pharmacies. They all have told that they are normally getting
adequate advice or information’s about the medicines that they are
obtaining from health center. They told that pharmacist will explain all the
information’s like how much to take, what time of day to take it and how
long to take it. They are getting these information’s by written label attached
to the medicines. They noticed that they are getting adequate information’s
when they are taking medicines for doctor’s prescription or without
prescription, over the counter also. All the people living in these houses told
that the Maldivian pharmacist with diploma qualification working in the
pharmacy is better than the foreign pharmacists. This is because they can
have an effective communication between the pharmacist and patients.

From these houses 15 houses of people are keeping tablet panadol in there
houses in case they need it and others are not using panadol or any other
medicine without doctor’s prescription. From the houses that keeping
panadol we asked them for what medical purposes they are using this for.

The graph below shows the number of people who are using panadol tablet for the
common illnesses.

Normally all peoples are using panadol in its recommended dosage. 11

people told they knows that taking too much panadol will cause harm to their
body but others does not known that it will cause harm to body if it taken too
much. So I explain them the danger of taking too much panadol. I advice
them do not take more than 2 tablet at any one time and do not take more
than 8 tablets in 24 hours. Also advice not to take with any other
paracetamol products because panadol and paracetamol is same medicine
with different names.

This chart shows how much peoples are aware that taking panadol too much will
cause harm to the body.

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 7
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

Normally people do not know what antibiotic is and why they are taking it. So I
explain them to what antibiotic is and what will happen if they do not take these
medicines until finish the course. I advice them to take at regular intervals and to
complete the doctors prescribing course of medicine.

All the peoples are throwing the unwanted medicines in the rubbish. They are not
using same medicines again if they need also. We asked from them whether they
are using any traditional (Dhivehi) medicine. For this question 11 people told that
they are using and others told they haven’t use. From this 11 people 5 of them are
using prepared medicines and other 6 are using medicines they prepared their own
with instruction from practitioners.

We asked from them where they normally keep their medicines that they are taking
for doctor’s prescription or over the counter with out prescription. They told the
places and show the places that they store their medicines. Normally they are
keeping medicines n table, cupboard, fridge and locked places. I advice all them to
keep medicines in safe places like medicine given store in refrigerator, so u have to
see by keeping refrigerator, other wise it will not give any effect to patient. I advice
all them to keep medicines out of reach of children.

The graph below shows where the people 0f these105 houses are normally storing
their medicines at home.

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch
 Field Report, Kulhudhufushi 8
Advanced Certificate In Pharmacy

Conclusion
From this survey I have noted that many of the people living in these two islands
are normally aware about safe use of medicines. They are commonly consulting
doctors if they have any health problems and they are taking medicines from
pharmacies with the help of pharmacist. They are not using any medicine with out
consulting doctor except panadol. Normally they are using panadol in its
recommended dose. I advice and explain them not take more than two tablet at a
time and not more than eight in 24 hours. Awareness about antibiotic was very less
in these two islands. To increase the awareness of them, I explain them what is it
and also advice to take at regular intervals and complete the prescribed course.
Also I explained what will happen if they do not complete the course. I have noted
that they all are keeping medicines in safe places out of reach of children.

I feel very happy for all the above things, but I have noticed that some of them are
using dhivehi medicines so I advice them to consult is better than using dhivehi
medicines. Finally I advice all of them to check date of expiry before taking each
and every medicine and read and understand insruction label attach to each drug
before taking it. They all said they are getting adequate informations and advices
from the pharmacists while they are taking medicines. I advice them to if there is
any thing not clear or not complete in label attach to medicine so better to go back
to the pharmacy and complete all informations before taking any medicine.

Atlast we gave a leaflets to each house after finishing survey, that it contains some
important informations about safe use of medicine. I hope we have create
awareness in people living in these two islands by doing this survey and from the
leaflet that we have given.

Prepared By: Bishara Ahmed (8524) November 8, 2007

ACP 19th Batch