Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37983218›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Availability of access, watch, and reserve (AWaRe) group of antibiotics in community pharmacies located close to a tertiary care hospital in Lalitpur, Nepal.

Nisha Jha, Bibechan Thapa, Samyam Bickram Pathak, Sajala Kafle, Anish Mudvari, Pathiyil Ravi Shankar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Utilisation of antibiotics in a community pharmacy: A case from north-west, South Africa.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nisha JhaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, KIST Medical College, Lalitpur, Nepal.ORCID 0000-0003-1089-6042
Bibechan ThapaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Kirtipur Hospital, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Samyam Bickram PathakDepartment of Intensive Care Unit and Critical care, Nepal Mediciti Hospital, Sainbu, Bhaisepati, Nepal.
Sajala KafleDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, KIST Medical College, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Anish MudvariDepartment of Pharmacology, Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Pathiyil Ravi ShankarIMU Centre for Education, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.ORCID 0000-0001-6105-5636

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe access, watch, and reserve (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics was developed in 2019 by the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines as a tool to support antibiotic stewardship efforts at local, national, and global levels. The objectives of this study were to assess the availability of antibiotics as per WHO AWaRe classification at community pharmacies located around a tertiary care hospital in Lalitpur and to compare these antibiotics with the national essential medicine list of Nepal.

methodThe cross-sectional study was conducted at community pharmacies located within a two-kilometer radius of a teaching hospital from August to November 2022. A total of 82 community pharmacies registered with the Nepal Chemist and Druggists Association and the Department of Drug Administration were studied. Data was collected using a standard proforma containing the names of the antibiotics classified as per the WHO's AWaRe classification.

resultsAccess group of antibiotics, Ampicillin, (82;100%), Amoxycillin, (82;100%), Flucloxacillin, (82;100%), and Metronidazole, (82;100%) were available in all community pharmacies. Results from the watch group showed that Azithromycin, (80; 97.6%) was available in all pharmacies followed by Cefixime, (80; 97.6%), Ciprofloxacin, (73; 89%), Levofloxacin, (74; 90.2%)and Ofloxacin, (74; 90.2%). Linezolid, (24; 29.3%) was the most common antibiotics available from the reserve group of antibiotics. Colistin was the second commonly available antibiotic. The most available antibiotic from the not recommended group were Ampicillin/Cloxacillin (82; 100%), followed by Piperacillin/Sulbactam, (39; 47.6%). There were differences in the classification of antibiotics between the WHO AWaRe list and the Essential Medicines list of Nepal in terms of numbers of antibiotics listed.

conclusionAntibiotics from the not recommended and reserve groups were commonly available in community pharmacies. The implementation of antibiotic guidelines should be emphasized along with strict monitoring of the sale of antibiotics without a prescription in community pharmacy settings.

Indexed as

Drugs, EssentialPharmaciesAmoxicillinAnti-Bacterial AgentsCross-Sectional StudiesLevofloxacinNepalTertiary Care CentersAmoxicillinAnti-Bacterial AgentsDrugs, EssentialLevofloxacin

Identifiers

PMID37983218
PMCPMC10659150

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