Producing National Drug and Therapeutic Information - The Malawi Approach to Developing Standard Treatment Guidelines: MSTG 1 (First edition): Activities prior to development of MSTG 1

Producing National Drug and Therapeutic Information - The Malawi Approach to Developing Standard Treatment Guidelines
(1994; 49 pages)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction
	Uses and benefits of Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs)
	Reasons for developing the MSTG
MSTG 1 (First edition)
	Activities prior to development of MSTG 1
	Decision to develop MSTG
	Preparation
	Printing
	Distribution
		Methods of distribution
	Introducing the guidelines
MSTG 2 (Second edition)
	Review of MSTG 1 and development of MSTG 2
	Editing and preparation for printing
	Printing
	Distribution
	Introducing the new edition
		Prescriber training workshops
	Feedback
	Use in drug utilisation and prescription monitoring
	Future plans
		Training workshops
		Development of curricula for formal health training courses
		Review of MSTG 2 and preparation of the next edition
Appendices
	Appendix 1 - Background publications used in preparation of the guidelines
	Appendix 2 - Sample page of MSTG 1 (December 1988) first draft
	Appendix 3 - Sample page of MSTG 1 (May 1989) second draft
	Appendix 4 - Sample page of MSTG 1 (July 1989) third draft
	Appendix 5 - Sample page of MSTG 1 (November 1990) final version
	Appendix 6 - Technical notes on MSTG 1
	Appendix 7 - Cover page of MSTG 1
	Appendix 8 - Modification form for MSTG 1
	Appendix 9 - Sample page of MSTG 2 (July 1993) final version
	Appendix 10 - Technical notes on MSTG 2
	Appendix 11 - Cover page of MSTG 2
	Appendix 12 - Comparison table for MSTG 1 and MSTG 2
	Appendix 13 - District training workshops to introduce MSTG 2 and MPC

Activities prior to development of MSTG 1

In August 1988, as part of the assistance to the MEDP, WHO’s Action Programme on Essential Drugs (DAP) organized an international seminar in Malawi on drug quantification. The seminar was based on quantification methodologies developed by DAP¹. This was immediately followed by a drug quantification exercise for Malawi carried out by nationals and international consultants. The preparation for this quantification involved, inter alia, carrying out a detailed review of prescribing practices, review by the National Drugs Committee (NDC) of standard treatment schedules adopted by other countries and modification of these during the workshop to suit Malawi requirements.

¹Estimating Drug Requirements. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1988 (WHO/DAP/88.2).

A quantification spreadsheet (QUANTED) which included abbreviated treatment schedules had been prepared for DAP and was adapted for use in Malawi during the quantification seminar. The treatment schedules in this were amended for local applicability according to the information in a local MOH publication².

²Common Medical Problems in Malawi: a Guide to Management, Dr P A Reeve (Editor: Dr J J Wirima), Ministry of Health, Malawi (undated).

Although information on morbidity patterns in Malawi was partly available, through monthly reports or tick sheets submitted by health units, this was incomplete and often inaccurate. Coupled with the unavailability of standard treatment protocols, this meant that morbidity-based quantification could not be done with any reliability or accuracy.